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 STATE OF INDIANA ) IN THE ST. JOSEPH SUPERIOR COURT
) SS:
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY ) CAUSE NO.

STATE OF INDIANA )
)
VS. ) SUPPLEMENTAL AFFIDAVIT IN
SUPPORT OF PROBABLE CAUSE
DERRICK PRATCHER )
)
DOB: 01/01/1990

Detective Philip Simms affirms under the penalty of perjury and states:

I am a Police Officer with the City of South Bend and have been so employed for the past

6 years. I am currently assigned to the Detective Bureau and the Violent Crimes Unit, which

investigates all homicides which occur in the City of South Bend. I was tasked to investigate the

shooting death of Robert Pulliam, Jr. which occurred on March 5, 2023. I make this affidavit

based upon the investigation of fellow officers, reports of experts, viewing the physical evidence

and my own observations in investigating this case.

On March 5th, 2023 at approximately 11:23 pm, officers with the South Bend Police

Department responded to a call of shots fired at 121 E Wayne Street, St. Joseph County, Indiana,

in reference to shots fired. When officers arrived, they located a male unresponsive in the

parking garage, with a gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy later confirmed that Mr. Pulliam

died as a result of that gunshot wound and the pathologist ruled the death a homicide. Officers

learned that Mr. Pulliam worked as a security guard for the garage and was working that

evening.

Among other things seized during a search of the garage, officers located a spent shell

casing near Mr. Pulliam’s body and a spent projectile.

 Police found the witness who had called 911 (for purposes of this affidavit, he is

identified as Witness 1). Witness 1 was hiding in the upper floors of the garage and was visibly

distraught.

Officers learned that Witness 1 is employed as a Venues and Parks Ambassador (VPA)

and was working that night, along with a partner (for purposes of this affidavit, the partner is

identified as Witness 2). Part of the duties of VPA is to patrol various areas of the City.

Officers spoke with both Witness 1 and Witness 2 separately. Both witnesses stated that

while they were patrolling city owned property, they entered the garage and encountered a male

(later identified as PRATCHER) on the 1st floor. They both advised that the male was driving a

new dark colored Kia Sportage with a Florida license plate. That vehicle was parked in the exit

lane of the garage near 2 vehicles. They told us that they did not know this individual.

Both witnesses advised that because the male was loitering around the VPA vehicles

parked there, they approached the male and inquired if he needed anything. The male was

described as a medium complected black male approximately 30 years old, 5’8”-5’9” 130-140lb,

wearing a black jacket and/or sweatshirt. This male mentioned that one of the vehicles in the

garage belonged to a family member. Both witnesses stated that they drove out of the garage.

Witness 2 was scheduled to leave, but asked Witness 1 to park across the street from the

garage and continue to observe the male they had encountered.

Noting that the male was now coming up to other vehicles in the garage that belonged to

the City of South Bend, Witness 1 notified the garage security guard of this fact. A short time

later, Mr. Pulliam arrived while the male was still canvassing the vehicles that belonged to the

City. Witness 1 advised us that both he and Mr. Pulliam then approached the male as he was still
loitering around their vehicles and spoke to him. Ultimately, Mr. Pulliam told the male to leave

and that he was trespassing.

Witness 1 told us that at some point during this interaction, he observed Mr. Pulliam take

a photograph of the male’s black Kia, which included the license plate. Witness 1 then walked

away to call 911 for assistance. Witness 1 stated that as he walked away, he saw Mr. Pulliam

turn his back to the male and use his cell phone (officers were able to confirm that Mr. Pulliam

was calling 911).

Witness 1 told us that as Mr. Pulliam’s back was turned, the male pulled a handgun from

his satchel bag, and shot Mr. Pulliam in the head from short range. He stated as he took cover,

he heard a vehicle leave the garage. When officers arrived shortly thereafter, the Kia was not in

the garage and neither was the male suspect.

Officers recovered Mr. Pulliam’s phone and sent it to the St. Joseph County Cybercrimes

Unit for analysis. The Cybercrimes Unit was able to recover the information from Mr. Pulliam’s

phone, which confirmed that Mr. Pulliam had taken a photograph of the Kia at 11:21 pm. This

photograph also was able to capture the license plate number.

Officers also obtained video from various cameras in South Bend. In doing so, officers

were able to confirm that a black Kia Sportage bearing a Florida plate (with the same plate

number as found in the photograph) was seen on security footage leaving the parking garage

immediately after the shots were fired and prior to law enforcement arrival.

A BMV search of the Florida license plate showed it return to a Kia Sportage owned by

Hertz Rental Car Agency. Officials at Hertz confirmed that PRATCHER had been renting that

same KIA since February 13th, 2023. Officials at Hertz advised that PRATCHER used his

driver’s license to rent that vehicle.

 An examination of the BMV photograph of PRATCHER matched the age and physical

description of the male identified by Witness 1 and Witness 2.

In the afternoon of March 6th, location technology showed that the Kia was in Vandalia,

MI. Cass County Sheriff (Michigan) Deputies responded to that area and located that Kia in a

park and found PRATCHER was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Officers located a handgun in that vehicle, which PRATCHER confirmed as his. Ray

Wolfenbarger, an Expert Firearm and Toolmark Examiner, compared the shell casing located

next to the body of Mr. Pulliam with shell casings test fired from that handgun recovered from

PRATCHER. Expert Wolfenbarger also compared the spent projectile with projectiles test fired

from that same handgun. According to Expert Wolfenbarger, the shell casing and projectile

located in the garage were fired from the handgun recovered from PRATCHER.

I also interviewed PRATCHER. After advising him of his right and him waiving the

same, PRATCHER admitted that he had been in that parking garage on the evening of March 5,

2023 in his KIA. He further admitted that the firearm was his. While denying that he

encountered anyone in the parking garage, he confirmed that no one else was in possession of

either the KIA or the firearm that was used to kill Mr. Pulliam.

In reviewing his prior criminal history, I find that PRATCHER was convicted for

Operating a Vehicle After Being Suspended For Life, a felony, on November 19th, 2020, in the

Elkhart Superior Court, under cause number 20D04-1711-F5-000292, prohibiting him from

carrying a handgun.

The shooting death of Mr. Pulliam occurred in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
 I affirm, under the pains and penalties for perjury, that the foregoing representations are

true.

_________________________________

Detective Philip Simms

South Bend Police Department

DETENTION CONSIDERATIONS

Because the Defendant is charged with the crime of murder, the State requests that he be

held without bond.

I affirm under the penalty for perjury that the foregoing representations are true.

Kenneth P. Cotter
Prosecuting Attorney, St. Joseph County