A Gary man who is accused of killing his son in an armed robbery at a Gary gas station had his initial hearing Friday in Crown Point.
In September, Gregory Turner Jr., 37, was charged with murder; attempted armed robbery, a Level 3 felony; aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony; two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 3 felony; unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, Level 4 felony; two counts of unlawful carrying of a handgun, a Level 5 felony; and three firearm enhancements to the murder, robbery and battery charges.
When the charges were filed, a warrant was issued for Turner’s arrest. Turner was arrested in Kenosha, Wisconsin in early December by the Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, court records state, and eventually extradited to Indiana.
Around 12:05 a.m. on Aug. 11, police responded to the Citgo gas station at 901 E. 5th Avenue for a report of a homicide, according to the probable cause affidavit. The dead man was identified at the scene as 17-year-old Jody Stallworth, who sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the neck. Coroner’s investigators also recovered another bullet in his body from a previous gunshot wound on Feb. 4, court records state.
Police spoke to a relative of the victim, who said she received a call saying he had been shot but wouldn’t say by whom. Stallworth was in a white SUV and a relative drove him to the hospital, records state. She said Turner was Stallworth’s father and originally said he drove him to her home before changing her story. Another woman told the relative to stop talking to police and she wasn’t cooperative with the investigation after that, the affidavit states.
Video footage from the Citgo showed Stallworth and Turner parked at a gas pump in a white SUV. Stallworth exited the passenger side with a ski mask on and an AR pistol in his left hand, court records state. He approached a third man with the intent to rob him. Turner was nearby with an object visible in his waistband, records state. The man punched Stallworth and fought with him over the gun, which appeared to discharge at points. Turner then drew his gun and fired several shots at the man who was fighting with Stallworth, the affidavit states. Turner put his hand over his face in an attempt to shield it from the cameras right before Stallworth was shot by Turner. The robbery victim fled on foot while Turner dragged Stallworth into the white SUV and drove off, court records state.
Police found numerous spent casings, including 25 9mm casings and five spent .223 casings at the scene.
Video footage from a residence in the 700 block of Kentucky Street showed Turner quickly pulling in front of the residence and yelling at a woman, who was waiting to exchange the vehicle that Stallworth was in, records state. Turner fled and the woman took Stallworth to the hospital.
At the time of the shooting, Stallworth was out on bond for an armed robbery from Nov. 8, 2023, the affidavit states.
Turner had numerous cases pending or adjudicated in Indiana and Illinois, court records state. He had a felony intimidation charge pending from 2021. In 2020, Turner was convicted of domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury in Lake County, which makes him a serious violent felon prohibited from possessing a firearm, records state.
In Cook County, he was also convicted of aggravated robbery in 2004, manufacturing/dealing a controlled substance in 2006, robbery in 2010, and manufacturing/dealing a controlled substance in 2016.
Police interviewed Turner, who said Stallworth was his son but denied being present at the time of the shooting, the affidavit states. He ended the interview upon further questioning. According to a Lake County Jail conversation recorded on Aug. 23, Turner said he expected to be questioned and should have “skedaddled” or “beat his feet” but “he plays chess,” court records state.
Police interviewed the man who Stallworth fought with at the gas station. The man said he was waiting for a food pickup nearby when he heard someone call his name and saw a man in a mask with a gun, records state. The man in the mask said “What you on? … what’s in those pockets” with what he assumed was the intent to rob him. The man struck Stallworth and started fighting with him, gaining control of the gun, tried to return fire and fled the scene, the affidavit states.
The man said he was shot in the upper left side of his chest and in the jaw. The man’s jaw appeared to be broken and he had to put a suction tube in his mouth every few sections to remove blood from his mouth as a result of the wound, court records state.