An Indiana man accused of killing a father of seven in a gas station carjacking had been released from jail just hours before the fatal encounter, according to police and jail records.
Shane Coffman, 51, stopped at a gas station on Indianapolis’ east side on April 29 to fill up with gas and buy a few lottery tickets, when a man got into his car and attempted to drive away, his family told WRTV.
A witness, Will Sharpe, says Coffman didn’t lose his car without a fight, and he was clinging to the vehicle when the accused carjacker put his foot on the gas and “slammed (Coffman) against the pump and kept going,” the station reported.
An officer patrolling the area “heard a call for help” at about 3 p.m., and found Coffman lying on the ground injured, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
A short time later, police in neighboring Speedway found the stolen vehicle, and a suspect, 33-year-old Chad Martin, was taken into custody, IMPD said. Martin was arrested on charges of robbery and murder, according to police.
Coffman was a hard-working family man, his wife, Julie, said in a statement, WISH reported.
“He (Shane Christian Coffman) was a father of 7 children, 12 grandkids, an amazing husband of 22 years, a dedicated hard worker to provide for his entire family. He was kind, compassionate, wise, and a peacemaker,” she said.
“I’m still in shock that this all happened,” Coffman’s son, Shane Coffman II, told WXIN. “I feel like my dad should have let him take the car.”
Court records show Martin has a history of auto theft — for which he was sentenced in 2020 and again in 2023 — as well as resisting arrest and battery.
In March, he was sentenced to 360 days in jail for drug possession, though records show his sentence was suspended.
Just two hours before the carjacking that left Coffman dead, Martin was released from jail where he was being held following a DWI arrest, WXIN reported.
“For this to happen, it’s unfair,” Shane Coffman II told the station. “You can’t keep letting people out like this and expect different results. You can’t fix some people.”
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