Valparaiso man charged with murder after Monday shooting

Chicago Tribune

2 days ago

Kuran Kinley, according to charging documents, had warned Trayveon Triplett to stay away from his ex-girlfriend's Valparaiso apartment when the child Kinley had with the woman was there.
Triplett showed up Monday evening anyway and, according to court records, Kinley shot him several times, killing him before he fled.
Kinley, 24, was formally charged Wednesday with murder and felony counts of criminal recklessness and carrying a handgun without a permit by a convicted felon. Prosecutors also are seeking an enhancement to the murder charge for the use of a firearm by Kinley, who lived in the same Chicago Street apartment complex as his ex-girlfriend and their child.
Triplett, 24, of Valparaiso, died at the scene. Kinley's ex-girlfriend is pregnant with Triplett's child, according to the charges. A coroner's report cited in the charging documents determined Triplett's death was a homicide and he died from gunshot wounds to the anterior neck and back, 'sustaining six gunshot wounds in total.'
Around 7:26 p.m. June 2, Valparaiso Police responded to an apartment in the 1900 block of East Chicago Street for a call about a man who sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The caller, according to the documents, was Kinley's ex-girlfriend.
Police initially believed Kinley ran into his apartment in the same building but he was later spotted running east away from the scene of the shooting. Police, according to the charges, believe Kinley may have been with a friend on Indiana Avenue and officers located a man matching Kinley's description in that area around 8:20 p.m.
Police found a Glock 9mm handgun near where Kinley was located, along with a hooded sweatshirt that belonged to him and a debit card that was his ex-girlfriend's.
During an interview at the Valparaiso Police Department, Kinley told investigators he was angry with Triplett and he took his roommate's handgun from his apartment and went to his ex-girlfriend's apartment. Triplett, Kinley told police in court documents, was returning to the woman's apartment because they were dating and she was pregnant with Triplett's child.
'Kinley indicated that he did not like that Triplett would come over to (the woman's) apartment when his child was present with (her),' charges state. 'Kinley stated multiple times that he threatened Triplett and warned him about coming over while his child was there.'
Kinley, according to the charges, told police he shot Triplett as Triplett was about to enter the apartment. Kinley 'believed that Triplett was unarmed and going away from him.'
Police showed Kinley a picture of the recovered handgun and he confirmed it was consistent with the gun he used in the shooting, records state, and told police he had tossed off the hooded sweatshirt with his ex-girlfriend's debit card in it.
The shooting, police said in court documents, took place in the common area of the multi-unit apartment building and other residents were home at the time, including his ex-girlfriend and their child.
'Additionally, it was learned that the child was opening the door of (the apartment) at the time Triplett was being shot,' charges state. 'However, the child did not sustain injuries, and Triplett fell into the apartment.'
Charging documents also note Kinley's criminal history; according to online court records, Kinley was charged in June 2019 in Lake County with two felony counts of robbery and one felony count of battery. He pleaded guilty to the battery charge and the robbery charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to time served, which was 227 days in jail.
He also has been previously charged with misdemeanors in Lake and Porter counties.
Kinley is scheduled for an initial hearing at 2 p.m. Thursday before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer, according to an online court docket.