A 17-year-old Indianapolis teen, David Perry, was arrested last weekend on charges of allegedly murdering his father, Brandon Perry, 35, and disposing of his body in a river. The teenager was charged with one count of murder and one count of dangerous possession of a firearm, according to court records.
Brandon Perry is presumed dead, although his body has not been found. The investigation into his disappearance began on May 29 when his sister reported him missing to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. The case quickly escalated from a missing person’s investigation to a suspected homicide.
The shift in the investigation was due to information gathered during the initial inquiry. The Homicide Detectives of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department took over the case. The evidence, including video surveillance, physical evidence, and multiple interviews, led detectives to believe that David Perry was responsible for his father’s death.
The police are collaborating with several other law enforcement agencies in their ongoing efforts to locate Brandon Perry’s body. Court documents revealed additional details about the alleged murder. The investigators focused on David Perry as the prime suspect based on surveillance footage, witness interviews, cellphone location records, and DNA evidence.
David Perry was reportedly the last person to see his father alive on May 26. Despite living in the same house, he did not report his father missing. Text messages sent by David Perry on the same day to another individual suggested his involvement in his father’s alleged death.
The recipient of these messages later spoke to investigators, indicating that the messages were related to a dispute between David and Brandon Perry. The individual also mentioned that David Perry had expressed his inability to return to house he shared with his father.
Brandon Perry’s sister reported him missing after discovering a significant amount of blood on his mattress. She told investigators that David Perry had informed her that their father’s body was in the White River, inside a trash can. He allegedly confessed to disposing of the trash can containing his father’s body in the river, an hour south of their home.
Surveillance footage from May 27 reportedly showed David Perry purchasing a dolly, vacuum, and seat covers from a local store. Cellphone location data later placed him near the White River, where his father’s truck was found abandoned. Authorities are appealing to anyone with information about the case to contact them.