MADISON, Ind. — Was it a confrontation gone wrong? Or was the plan all along to shoot Justin Hall? Text messages from one of the suspects in the case indicate the latter, according to documents filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court.
Matthew Redd, 36, and Christian Kennedy, 21, were charged with murder and intimidation with a deadly weapon after Hall was shot and killed outside of a Madison, Indiana factory on December 29, 2022.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the three met in the parking lot of Madison Precision Products that morning. Minutes later, Kennedy called police to report he had shot Hall.
Police learned Kennedy and Redd are cousins, and Hall was dating another one of Redd’s relatives. Redd told police the confrontation was meant to “intimidate” Hall, who had a pending domestic battery case involving Redd’s relative.
Surveillance video from outside of Madison Precision Products showed Kennedy exit his car with his firearm drawn, stated a probable cause affidavit stated. Redd is then seen confronting Hall before Hall strikes Redd in the face.
Redd is then seen on camera motioning to Kennedy who approaches Hall and is then hit in the face by him. At that point, Hall turned to Redd, and Kennedy fired several shots at Hall which sent him to the ground, according to court documents.
Redd is then seen on camera striking Hall while he was down and throwing an object into the snow. A search later revealed the discarded item was brass knuckles.
Investigators obtained text messages sent from Redd’s phone around 12:15 a.m. the day of the murder.
“…I’ll wipe down down all the gun and bullets have him shot [sic] to have gun residue on his hands and I’ll bleach mine so he will say he did it outta [sic] self defense…” read a message sent to a friend.
In the text messages allegedly sent by Redd, he also told his friend he had a cousin in the military who has a “trunk full of guns” and can “get away with using deadly force.”
Redd was also charged with obstruction of justice after police said he tried to get rid of the brass knuckles he used on Hall.
He later admitted to punching Hall with the brass knuckles immediately after he was shot and fell to the ground.
An autopsy performed on Hall showed he had three gunshot wounds and visible marks on his head made by the brass knuckles.
Court documents also said the relative who was dating Hall showed up with him ahead of the confrontation and went into the building before the violence began.
