Homicide victim identified as 21-year-old Rockford, Illinois, man
Ron Wilkins
LAFAYETTE, Ind. —Someone shot Michael McCord Jr. in front of 3135 New London Court in Bay Pointe Apartments about 1:45 a.m. Sunday in front of a VW car with Wabash County plates.
His preliminary autopsy findings indicated he died from multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide, Tippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello said in a news release.
McCord, 21, of Rockford, Illinois, became Lafayette's second homicide of 2023.
McCord's blood fell onto the parked VW car, its wheels, and a trail of blood led west to the parking lot in front of building 3071 Pheasant Run Drive.
“I heard some gunfire. It came from that direction,” a Pheasant Run Apartment neighbor said, pointing to the Bay Pointe Apartments just east of his apartment building. "Ten to 12 gunshots just before 1 (o'clock).
“Part of the crime scene ended up over here,” he said, pointing to the parking lot.
McCord made it about four parking spaces into the Pheasant Run Apartment's lot before collapsing and dying, based on the Pheasant Run resident's comment and corroborated by stains on the asphalt.
Police called the killing a targeted attack.
No one has been arrested, yet, police said.
The case remains under investigation.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.