An investigation that began in November 2020 involving a drug deal that went bad ending in a double murder in the Maple Grove trailer park in Jasper has resulted in the arrest of two adults. One adult arrest warrant remains outstanding at this time, and a juvenile case is also pending. Information on the juvenile case is confidential given the age of the offender.
Two adults, Stephen Gomez, 24, Huntingburg, and Kevin Wayman, 53, Taswell, have been charged with multiple counts. Gomez is charged with Aiding Robbery, a level 2 felony, Obstruction of Justice, a level 6 felony, and Possession of Marijuana, a class B misdemeanor. Wayman is charged with Aiding Armed Robbery, a level 3 felony, and False Informing, a class B misdemeanor.
Gomez was arrested Feb. 25, 2022, while Wayman was arrested February 17, 2022.
The investigation revealed that Tre Carnahan, 21, Jasper, and Andres W.C. Lopez, 19, Owensboro, Kentucky, shot and killed each other Nov. 21, 2020, after Carnahan tried to rob Lopez at gunpoint during the drug deal. Wayman’s involvement was that the weapon used by Carnahan had been supplied by Wayman. Wayman provided the gun to Gomez. Gomez, knowing of Carnahan’s plan, provided the gun to Carnahan and served as a lookout during the incident.
According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, just after 2:00 A.M. on Nov. 21, 2020, Carnahan and Lopez shot each other in the chest after a plan by Carnahan to rob Lopez of the marijuana he had said he wanted to purchase went bad. Lopez traveled from Owensboro, Ky., with an adult female and a juvenile to the Maple Grove trailer park to sell two pounds of marijuana to Carnahan. However, Carnahan told friends he intended to rob Lopez at gunpoint. Gomez’s role in the robbery was that he was to create a distraction by hitting the Lopez vehicle with a brick. At that point, Carnahan planned to rob Lopez.
After the shooting, the Lopez vehicle fled the scene and was later found by police on Rhine Strasse in Jasper. The driver of the Lopez vehicle called 911 and waited on Rhine Strasse for EMS and police to arrive. Lopez was transported by EMS to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Carnahan was found lying on the ground in the trailer park with a gunshot wound to his chest. Gomez and another individual drove Carnahan to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, Wayman came to the Indiana State Police Jasper Post on Nov. 23, 2020, to report that his wife’s Glock 17 had possibly been used in the murder.
Wayman reported that his wife hadn’t loaned the weapon to anyone. Through the course of the investigation, it was later discovered that Wayman had loaned the gun to Gomez, knowing of the impending drug deal.
On February 18, 2022, Wayman appeared at his Initial Hearing on the charges in Cause No. 19C01-2202-F3-000172 in Dubois Circuit Court. At that hearing, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Beth Sermersheim requested that Wayman be required to post the standard bond for a Level 3 felony, which is $10,000 cash only, plus enhanced pre-trial monitoring should Wayman post that bond.
Judge Nathan Verkamp ordered Wayman released on his own recognizance (OR), without requiring him to post a financial bond. He ordered him to participate in enhanced pre-trial monitoring and ordered him not to possess a firearm as a condition of his release.
On February 28, 2022, Gomez appeared at his Initial Hearing on the charges in Cause No. 19C01-2202-F2-000171 in Dubois Circuit Court. At that hearing, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Sermersheim requested that Gomez be required to post a $150,000 cash only bond with enhanced pre-trial monitoring. Judge Verkamp ordered Gomez to post a $150,000 cash only bond to be released.
Prosecutor Quinn wants to reiterate the importance of holding Defendants to high bonds who have been determined to be a danger to the community or themselves. Quinn stated, “Public safety should always be of the utmost importance when determining whether to set bond and for how much.” Prosecutor Quinn would also like to thank all the law enforcement agencies involved in investigating these crimes and arresting Wayman and Gomez on the arrest warrants. The Jasper Police Department is the primary investigating agency and was assisted by the Indiana State Police and Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Rick Chambers. These agencies were assisted by the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department, the Huntingburg Police Department, the Spencer County Prosecutor’s Office, the Spencer County Sheriff’s Department, the Dale Town Marshal, and the U.S. Marshals Service in serving the arrest warrants.
All charges filed in this case are merely allegations and all suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
