A peaceful Saturday night turned into a nightmare for one family in Indianapolis, Indiana, after a hardworking father was killed in what police now call a planned ambush. Jarrell Pryor, 26, was looking forward to a simple night out. But what was supposed to be a date with someone he met online ended with his tragic death.
This heartbreaking story has shocked many, and left a little girl without her loving father.
A Father, A Dreamer, A Man with a Big Heart
Jarrell Pryor was more than just a name in the news. He was a dedicated single father to his 3-year-old daughter, Honey. He worked hard at a warehouse job and always tried to give his daughter the best life possible. Even after he broke up with Honey’s mother, he remained close to the family and supported her younger siblings as if they were his own.
His stepfather, Travis Wiley, said, “That girl is a spitting image of him.” Pryor made sure his daughter was always well-dressed, even buying her Air Jordan sneakers to match his own.
The Date That Turned Deadly
On the night of January 25, Pryor had plans to meet Alexis Hawkins, 19, whom he had been chatting with on Instagram. They had never met in person before. Instead of a dinner date, Hawkins reportedly convinced him to take her to a McDonald’s and later a liquor store.
What Pryor didn’t know was that Hawkins was secretly messaging her real boyfriend, 18-year-old Brian Winston Jr., during the outing. Police say the couple planned to rob Pryor. At around 1 a.m., Pryor was found shot multiple times outside his car. He died shortly after in hospital.
Investigation Uncovers a Chilling Plot
After two weeks, police arrested Hawkins. During questioning, she claimed she couldn’t remember anything about the night other than hearing gunshots. But when detectives asked about a suspicious text she sent saying she needed to make a “play real fast” for money, she went silent and asked for a lawyer.
Both Hawkins and Winston have now been charged with murder and attempted robbery. They remain in jail. Their attorneys have not made public statements, and the accused have not entered pleas.
A Family Torn Apart, But Still Holding On
The biggest loss is felt by little Honey, Pryor’s daughter. She now lives with Ja’halha Feemster, Pryor’s ex and Honey’s mother. Her great-grandmother, Patricia Bradshaw, says,
“She looks around and says ‘Da-Da,’ and I tear up. She was cheated out of her father.”
Honey’s grandmother, N’yalha Feemster, added that Honey has a shirt with Pryor’s photo, and “it changes her whole mood when she wears it.”
Remembering Jarrell Pryor
Friends and family describe Pryor as funny, charming, and full of life. He once performed a Michael Jackson tribute at school, and was known for learning dance moves from Usher’s videos. He even dreamed of becoming a professional gamer, especially for games like Call of Duty.
From childhood, Pryor showed an entrepreneurial spirit—buying and selling candy and erasers in school to earn pocket money.
But most importantly, he loved being a father. “It didn’t matter what we were talking about, he was going to bring up Honey,” said his friend Anijah Randle.
The death of Jarrell Pryor is a tragic reminder of how quickly life can change. A young father, full of dreams and love for his daughter, was taken away in a senseless act of violence. While justice is being pursued through the courts, his family’s main focus remains Honey, the little girl who now grows up without the man who adored her.
Her grandmother says it best:
“I pray for her to have a supernatural memory so that she can remember him. Because we all deserved Jarrell. We absolutely did.”
