Lafayette man charged in Gary murder

A Lafayette man faces charges after shooting a man dead in a driveway, records show.

Robert R. White, 41, was charged Oct. 13 with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a Level 4 felony, and unlawful carrying of a handgun, a Class A misdemeanor.

Murder carries a 45-65 term, if convicted. He also faces a firearms enhancement that could add up to 20 more years to a sentence.

He is in custody in Milwaukee awaiting extradition. Charges were unsealed Monday.

Indiana State Police Excise Police Det. Jason Szemes wrote Gary Police responded at 2:05 a.m. Sept. 15 to the 1900 block of Clay Street. A white Dodge Caravan was partly in a ditch.

The minivan was off, in park, and the keys were missing. A man was slumped over into the passenger seat.

The driver’s side window was shattered, but there was no broken glass on the ground. A passenger door was open. Police thought the van had been moved.

The victim — Duane Quinn, 39, of Gary — was shot multiple times with a revolver in the head and torso. His death was ruled a homicide. Officers recovered a cellphone, but didn’t find his wallet or id.

Witnesses said Quinn was “extremely upset” after a “confrontation” that night with “Bobby,” his friend’s wife’s son.

Police learned Bobby had been “waving a gun” that night and pointing it at him. Quinn had punched White’s mom months earlier, but he apologized and they had patched things up.

Quinn left and returned home around 10:30 p.m., before going back out for “cigarettes,” then back to the friend’s house to “resolve” his argument with White. He arrived back on the 1100 block of Fayette Street around 12:40 a.m.

A witness said White was “drinking” and “acting violently” all night, threatening to kill everyone there.

The friend told Quinn not to return. White’s mother also warned him, the affidavit states.

She tried to restrain White from coming outside as Quinn was parked in the driveway. White went out holding a revolver before witnesses heard multiple shots “within seconds.”

Police later found broken glass in the driveway. Quinn’s cell phone showed his last calls were made around 12:47 a.m.

Another witness said the friend came up saying White had killed a man in his driveway and was threatening to kill everyone in the house if they didn’t help move Quinn’s body.

Quinn’s friend does not appear to be charged.