MAN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING HIS MOM

Evansville, IN – Prosecutor Diana Moers announces that on July 24, 2025, Jaron Anthony Michael Wells was found guilty of murdering his mom, Shanay Hunt. The Defendant also pleaded guilty to the firearm enhancement filed by the Prosecutor. The Honorable Judge Ryan D. Hatfield of the Vanderburgh County Circuit Court presided.

On July 14, 2023, the Evansville Police Department was dispatched to an abandoned house located at 1009 Harriet St., where they discovered the lifeless body of Shanay Hunt. The autopsy revealed that the victim had been shot in the head with a rare type of ammunition that is not commonly available.

The Defendant, Jaron Wells, who is the victim’s son, was placed with the victim at the time of the murder because a friend recognized his voice in the background during a phone call shortly before the murder. During the investigation it was discovered that Wells purchased a .45 caliber Glock firearm less than one month prior to the murder as well as the type of rare ammunition found at the scene. Wells sold the gun and ammunition a few weeks after committing the murder and fled to Illinois.

EPD was able to determine the gun used in the crime after tracing a series of purchases and laboratory testing confirmation. When the Defendant was arrested in Illinois, EPD discovered in the home where he was staying a note in a small, blue notebook that describes him having done something on a Saturday that has left him without a living parent and that will leave his sister devastated and disgusted with him. The note specified the first name of the Defendant’s sister and, not-so-coincidentally, the July 8, 2023 date was a Saturday. A handwriting analyst determined that the writing in the journal matched the Defendant’s, and digital evidence placed the Defendant at the scene of the crime.

The case was tried for the first time in February 2025, but the jury had hung 11 (guilty) – 1 (not guilty). At the retrial, Deputy Prosecutor Ian Blair presented medical forensic evidence, surveillance videos, testimony regarding the gun and ammunition, expert firearms testimony matching the gun and discovered casing, phone data, location data, handwriting analysis, and testimony from the victim’s family and friends. The jury found Wells guilty as charged.

Prosecutor Diana Moers stated: “My office has worked hard for justice on this case. After a hung jury in the first trial with just one juror holding out, we stuck with it and presented a plethora of overwhelming evidence to secure a conviction at a second jury trial. My dedicated deputies and law enforcement will not give up when seeking justice and because of that one more dangerous person is off the streets of Vanderburgh County.”

I would personally like to thank Evansville Police Department personnel who worked on this case: Det. C. Wiseman, Officer N. Henderson, Det. T. Lincoln, Det. A. Juncker, Lt. W. Arbaugh, Sgt. W. Hunt, Det. B. Underwood, Det. A. McCormick, Det. D. Powers and my deputy prosecutors and staff, I. Blair, K. Maurer, J. Pollock, T. Carden, M. Richardville, J. Savage, and J. Carter.”

Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2025, in front of the Honorable Judge Ryan D. Hatfield of the Vanderburgh County Circuit Court. Wells faces a possible sentence of 45 to 65 years for the murder, plus 5 to 20 years for the firearm enhancement.

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