Homeowner Kills 2 Intruders, Holds 2 Others; Charges Announced

After four armed suspects broke into a house to rob it, the homeowner shot and killed two of the intruders and held two others at gunpoint until officers arrived. Now, police have announced the charges.

The two deceased adults in yesterday’s DeKalb County shooting have been identified as Rameica Lasharon Moore, 36, of Fort Wayne, and Dylan Scott Morefield, 22, of Churubusco.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ind. Two people are in custody, two others are dead after shots were fired during a home burglary in DeKalb County, Indiana State Police said.

Events began to unfold shortly before 6 a.m. in the 1600 block of State Road 8. Officials said officers from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and Auburn Police Department arrived first and found a homeowner holding two suspected burglars at gunpoint. Two other people were found dead inside the home.

ISP believes the homeowner — who was not identified — was confronted by four armed intruders and responded by producing his own weapon and firing.

A 17-year-old has been charged with multiple felonies, including first degree murder, for a domestic-related home invasion in Bolingbrook that left three people dead.

Byrion Montgomery is charged as an adult with nine counts of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, home invasion, aggravated battery with a firearm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. His bail has been set at $20 million. He is due in court Tuesday.

Police said Montgomery was dating the teen girl who was killed in the incident. His family has declined to comment on the charges.

Bolingbrook police responded to the 100-block of Lee Lane, just off Route 53, about 8:15 p.m. for a report of a possible home invasion. When police arrived, they found four people had been shot.

A man and two juvenile girls were pronounced dead, police said. A woman, 34, was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

A 3-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were inside the home during the shooting, but were not injured, police said.

Two of the victims were identified as 17-year-old Samiya A. Shelton-Tillman and 40-year-old Cartez L. Daniels. The third victim, a 9-year-old girl, has not been identified but relatives say she is Daniels’ daughter. Relatives said Daniels was engaged to Shelton-Tillman’s mother.

Relatives say the 34-year-old woman who was shot is Daniels’ fiancee and Shelton-Tillman’s mother. She’s in critical but stable condition at Good Samaritan Hospital, police said.

Montgomery was taken into custody at about 10 p.m., police said. He had been dating Shelton-Tillman. Police said they are working on charges with the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The police arrested 42-year-old Tabitha L. Johnson and 42-year-old Shaun T. Kruse, both of Fort Wayne, on felony murder and burglary counts. Both are being held at the DeKalb County Jail.

A person may be charged with murder in Indiana if a death takes place while they are committing a felony, even if the individual does not directly take another life.

The identities of the deceased were not released. No charges have been filed against the homeowner.

The homeowner who wanted to remain anonymous said the following!
He says they forced him to write a check with no name on it for $500. He claims that he managed to break away from the suspects and grab his shotgun before shooting Moore and Morefield.

He then ordered Johnson to join Kruse, who was waiting in the getaway vehicle outside. He reportedly told Kruse to call 911 for help as he held the remaining suspects at gunpoint until police arrived. Officers then arrested Kruse and Johnson. Moore and Morefield were declared dead at the scene.

Kruse confessed to police that he had driven himself and the other suspects to the home the day prior and had confronted the owner in an attempt to get money from him. He admitted that he and the suspects returned to the home the next morning and that Morefield was “talking about being gangster over and over.” Kruse says he waited in the vehicle while the others robbed the man.

Johnson told police that she and the suspects were at the man’s home on both days and that she has occasionally stayed with the homeowner over the last decade. She claims she was only trying to get items that belonged to her from the home. However, the police weren’t buying her story.

Residents have heard about the shooting and are taking extra precautions. Apparently, locals aren’t at all surprised by the outcome.

“I’m not sure what happened. Like I said before, I don’t know the whole story, but I can tell you, if you come up in this area, I think there’s going to be quite a few homes that do the same thing. I think if you come in and you’re caught, I don’t think you’re walking out,” said Tom Davis, who owns a car restoration business next door to the homeowner’s property.