'The Murder Tapes: Help, I've Been Shot' by Investigation Discovery chronicles the bizarre death of Christopher Hoefling in December 2017 in Evansville, Indiana. The investigators nabbed the culprits within a couple of days, so we've got you covered.
What Was the Cause of Christopher Hoefling's Death?
Chris "Chris" Hoefling was born on October 29, 1997, to Gene and the late Melinda (Moye) Hoefling, and finished his engineering apprenticeship with Memorial High School in 2016. He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and enjoyed golfing and exercising.
Chris was described by his friend, Briget Aussin, as a shy individual who "was really outgoing once he emerged of his shell." His body was discovered slumped in the passenger seat of a red Hyundai Sonata in the area of Washington on Lombard Avenue, around 9:00 PM. According to police reports, he was shot at least four times with a.380 handgun.
Christopher Hoefling was killed by who?
An individual called 911 around 9:00 PM to report a shooting victim who was discovered lying in a parking lot behind Rick's Bar in Evansville. While the officers attempted to obtain as much information as possible about Brandon, they failed to find him. According to the story, the officers asked Brandon if he was alive and well to go there.
Brandon claimed that a black older male with a tan jacket approached him, shot him, and stole his car. The officers reviewed the surveillance video of the parking lot in an effort to find some clues.
Brandon admitted it was a drug transaction gone wrong, but he claimed his friend, Chris, was also in the car with him, and the culprit may have taken him away with the automobile. He claims he had been approached by a known acquaintance named Jalil, who knew him well.
Brandon claimed that his phone was inside the vehicle, and the cops discovered Chris' body in the passenger seat of the car.
Jalil A. Fellows was discovered to be on parole at 906 Bellemeade Avenue, Evansville, according to the program. Earl already had a rap sheet containing previous robbery convictions and was required to notify his parole officer about his residential address, which was initially rejected.
Earl agreed to go to the station for interrogation but was turned down by police after they discovered the murder weapon, a bag of marijuana, and some unspent shells. Jalil, then 26, was also detained on December 21 on preliminary charges of murder and robbery with serious bodily injury. He claimed he and Earl were co-workers at the station.
What Has Happened to Earl Martin and Jalil Fellows?
On July 12, 2018, Jalil decided to cooperate with the authorities and confessed to Earl that he knew someone they could rob. Jalil then contacted Brandon and asked him to sell a half pound of marijuana to him. According to the program, Earl planned to rob and murder people.
Jalil's claims were corroborated by a text exchange with Earl, and the cops offered him a plea deal. On June 14, 2019, he was sentenced to five years in prison by Vanderburgh Circuit Court on charges of conspiracy of robbery. The 31-year-old has been released on parole until April 2022.
Earl was charged with murder, robbery with serious bodily injury, kidnapping while hijacking a vehicle, and attempted murder in February 2019. Three concurrent six-year sentences for robbery and two 15-year sentences have been added to his earliest feasible release date of March 2119.
