15-Year-Old Sentenced to 100 Years for 2025 Indiana Gang-Related Murder

A 15-year-old boy from Anderson, Indiana, has been sentenced to 100 years in prison following his conviction in a 2025 gang-related shooting that left one woman dead and two others injured. The sentencing took place in July 2026, concluding a trial that revealed a violent botched hit tied to gang activity and a prior homicide.

Details of the Crime and Conviction

The defendant, Jo’Majze Larry, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy related to a February 2025 shooting outside Sonny Ray’s nightclub in Anderson, a suburb of Indianapolis. The attack was intended to eliminate a witness connected to an earlier murder but tragically resulted in the death of 26-year-old Dayla Swain, who was not the intended target. Two other women were wounded – one by gunfire and another hit by a car while fleeing the scene.

Larry was tried alongside 19-year-old Rashawn Samuels, with both convicted by a jury on June 30, 2026. During sentencing, Judge David Happe of Madison County Circuit Court imposed a combined 100-year term on Larry: 50 years for Swain’s murder and an additional 50 years for a gang-related enhancement charge.

Gang Involvement and Additional Sentences

Both Larry and Samuels, members of the Mickey Cobra Nation (MCN) gang, admitted to enhancement charges tied to their criminal organization affiliation. Samuels received a harsher sentence of 125 years—split evenly between murder and gang enhancement charges. The judge emphasized the serious threat posed by criminal organizations, stating that these groups coordinate violence, recruit members, and commit crimes for financial gain or to further gang objectives.

Another co-defendant, 19-year-old Kyree Craver, was sentenced earlier in July 2026 to 90 years for his role in the murder. A fourth defendant is scheduled to face trial later this year.

Background: Link to Earlier Homicide

Prosecutors linked the 2025 shooting to a botched assassination attempt on a witness to the 2023 murder of 15-year-old Jullian Craig, who was killed during an attempted armed robbery. Donavan Harris, 20, was convicted in June 2026 for Craig’s murder. The attempted hit outside the Anderson nightclub was intended to silence witnesses but instead claimed the life of an innocent bystander, Swain.

According to court records, Larry and Samuels conspired with other gang members to carry out the shooting to intimidate or eliminate witnesses to Craig’s homicide, further highlighting the dangerous cycle of gang violence affecting the community.

Legal Implications and Future Prospects

Because Larry was a minor at the time of the crime, Indiana law allows him to petition for a judicial review of his sentence after serving 20 years, without needing prosecutorial consent. This provision recognizes the potential for rehabilitation in juvenile offenders, despite the severity of the crime.

The lengthy sentences and multiple convictions underscore the state’s commitment to combating gang violence and protecting public safety. Prosecutors hope these outcomes will deter future gang-related crimes in Anderson and beyond.

The tragic case serves as a stark reminder of how gang activity and retaliatory violence continue to impact communities and innocent lives. While justice has been served through these convictions and sentencing, the broader issues of gang influence and youth involvement remain pressing challenges for law enforcement and local leaders.