INDIANAPOLIS — What began as a night at a gentlemen’s club on Indy’s near west side ended in a deadly shooting miles away at an interstate on the east side.
A probable cause affidavit filed against Julius Willis, 24, the man arrested in last month’s fatal shooting on I-70, stated he waited for the victims outside of a strip club at 2320 W. 16th Street during the early hours of Saturday, March 25 and then followed them onto the interstate and shot at their vehicle.
Anthony Shelman Jr., 30, was killed. Investigators said he was driving on I-70 East around 3:30 a.m. when he was shot in the chest. A man who was lying down in the backseat was shot in the hand and instructed Shelman to get off on the Emerson Avenue exit so they could go to the nearby Community East Hospital, court documents show.
Shelman crashed and flipped the car near Emerson and E. 20th Street before he made it to the hospital. He was pronounced deceased from his injuries less than one hour later.
The backseat passenger in Shelman’s vehicle told investigators the two had left a strip club and were making their way to the east side when someone shot at the vehicle. Detectives later counted at least six markings consistent with bullet holes in Shelman’s Nissan Altima.
The other victim also told police the vehicle that shot at them also got off the interstate when they did.
Investigators reviewed surveillance video from outside of the club and near the crash site near Emerson and E. 20th. It showed a silver Chevrolet Impala leaving the strip club parking lot around the same time as Shelman. A silver passenger car was also seen driving on Emerson within 30 seconds of Shelman’s car crashing, court documents state.
Police searched the Impala in the BMV and tracked it down to a woman who told investigators Julius Willis sometimes uses her car. A physical search of the car resulted in the discovery of a live 9mm bullet. Charging documents indicate a 9mm bullet was removed from Shelman’s chest by medical personnel.
According to charging documents, Willis was seen on surveillance video getting out of a silver Impala in the strip club’s parking lot before going into the establishment. Investigators learned he was a regular patron and was “in the book,” meaning staff had a copy of his license in a binder. Surveillance video then showed Willis leaving the club at closing time and getting into a silver Impala by himself.
A search of Willis’ apartment found a hole had been cut in the attic wall separating his apartment from his neighbor’s, according to investigators. When they looked into his neighbor’s attic, detectives reportedly found a bag filled with a 9mm pistol and three pounds of raw marijuana. The neighbor told police the items did not belong to her.
Willis was arrested on April 5 on a preliminary charge of murder and attempted murder.
Investigators have not released a motive in the shooting or commented on any interactions Willis and the victims may have had inside the gentlemen’s club.
