Police: Death of teen whose body burned was random
INDIANAPOLIS — The family of a 15-year-old girl found dead in a backyard says they "want justice" for what they and police believe was a random homicidal act.
Authorities on Tuesday said they have no person of interest in the killing of high school freshman Dominique Allen, two days after her badly burned body was discovered. The Marion County coroner's office on Tuesday ruled her death a homicide by strangulation.
"She did not deserve this," said Shenika Poindexter, Dominique's older sister. "She was 15 years old, doing what normal 15-year-olds do."
Poindexter, 38, gathered Tuesday with about a dozen other family members to speak to the media. A few yards away, where Dominique's body was found, stood a cross adorned with a few flowers and two stuffed animals.
Addressing her sister's killer, Poindexter said, "I swear to God, on my life, that you will pay for what you did."
The details surrounding the slaying are still unclear.
Marcus Kennedy, a homicide detective with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, said Dominique was last seen at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, sitting on a concrete ledge outside her sister's house, located about a mile northwest from where her body was found about eight hours later.
Argued with friends
Kennedy said she was hanging out with friends and had gotten into an argument.
"She was stewing out there on the little concrete half-wall," he said.
As Dominique's friends went inside the house, Kennedy said, she remained on the ledge. The sister who lived in the home, 30-year-old Mareeka Allen, said she noticed Dominique was missing when she woke up the next day. IMPD records show a missing person report was filed at about 1 p.m. Sunday.
How Dominique left her sister's house is also unclear; Kennedy said her phone was left inside the house. Kennedy also said a car was likely used to take her to an abandoned house, where detectives found the girl's sandals and purse.
Kennedy said detectives believe Dominique might have been strangled to death inside that house before her body was driven about a block away and set on fire. A neighbor found the body at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, while he was walking his dog. The body was not positively identified until Tuesday.
Kennedy said autopsy reports showed Dominique was not alive when her body was burned.
"It's done to get rid of evidence, usually," Kennedy said of burnings of bodies. He also said police do not yet know how many people might have been involved, or why Dominique was slain.
"At this time, we do believe it is random," he said.
Tragedy strikes again
The teen's death marked the second time in recent years that tragedy has struck the family. In October 2012, Dominique's mother, Sherri Allen, died after suffering from Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease.
Dominique's father, Louis Allen, said he recently retired to take care of his children because of his wife's death.
Family members said Dominique would not get in a car with someone she did not know, and they described her as an ambitious girl who had dreams of going to Spelman College in Atlanta and becoming a model.
"She loved the camera," Poindexter said. "She always took pictures of herself — always smiling, laughing. And she loved clothes and shoes. She loved fashion."