CROWN POINT — A man convicted in the 2024 shooting death of Damien Abenante in Whiting has been sentenced to 70 years in prison following a jury trial in Lake Superior Court, Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter announced Thursday.
Leonardo Nunez received a 60-year sentence for murder, along with an additional 10 years for a firearm enhancement, bringing his total sentence to 70 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.
The conviction stems from the March 23, 2024, fatal shooting of Abenante in the 1600 block of La Porte Avenue in Whiting. According to the probable cause affidavit filed in Lake Superior Court, Whiting Police were dispatched to the area of 1600 block of La Porte Avenue at approximately 5:29 p.m. for a reported shooting.
Officers arriving at the scene discovered Abenante lying on the sidewalk near the residence with a gunshot wound to his chest. Investigators recovered fired cartridge casings in the front yard and across the street from where the victim was found. Abenante was transported to St. Catherine’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Lake County Coroner’s Office subsequently ruled his death a homicide.
According to court documents, investigators obtained surveillance footage from several nearby residences and businesses that helped piece together the events surrounding the shooting.
Video recovered from a nearby residence showed a man wearing a red hooded sweatshirt running from the south side of a house shortly after the gunfire. Investigators also recovered footage showing a black Nissan traveling through the neighborhood around the time of the shooting. Additional surveillance footage showed the Nissan traveling through Whiting immediately following the incident. Detectives determined the vehicle was registered to a woman identified in court documents as Nunez’s mother.
During the investigation, Whiting Police also received information from a witness who reported that Nunez had been involved in an argument with Abenante before the shooting. According to the affidavit, investigators learned that Nunez had allegedly been involved in a dispute with Abenante over a stolen item. The witness reported that Nunez had been looking for Abenante and had made statements about confronting him.
Detectives also interviewed an individual who identified Nunez in a photograph and provided information connecting him to the incident.
Investigators from several departments worked together to identify and locate Nunez following the shooting. According to the probable cause affidavit, detectives obtained information from the Hobart Police Department concerning Nunez’s movements and reviewed records associated with a vehicle believed to have been used following the homicide.
Investigators also discovered that Nunez had reportedly checked into Advocate Trinity Hospital in Chicago on March 24, 2024, one day after the shooting. Hospital surveillance footage showed a man wearing a red hooded sweatshirt arriving at the facility. Investigators identified the individual as Nunez and determined that his appearance was consistent with the person captured in surveillance footage associated with the shooting.
Detectives ultimately identified Nunez as the suspect responsible for Abenante’s death.
Following the sentencing, Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter emphasized the seriousness of the crime and the impact on the victim’s family.
“This 70-year sentence reflects the seriousness of this violent crime and reinforces our commitment to holding those who take innocent lives accountable,” Carter said.
“While no sentence can undo the tragic loss of a life or ease the pain experienced by the victim’s family, we hope today’s sentencing provides a measure of justice and closure. Our office will continue to work tirelessly to seek justice for victims of violent crime throughout Lake County.”
Carter credited Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Shannon Phillips and Lindsey M. Lanham for their work preparing and prosecuting the case through trial. He also recognized Victim/Witness Assistant Caitlin Dziewicki for providing assistance and support throughout the proceedings.
The prosecutor additionally thanked the Major Crimes Task Force and the numerous agencies involved in the investigation, including the Whiting, Munster, Griffith, Hobart and Chicago police departments, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“This case demonstrates the importance of collaboration among prosecutors, investigators and law enforcement agencies,” Carter said. “I am grateful for the professionalism, persistence and commitment of everyone involved in ensuring that justice was served.”
Nunez will serve his 70-year sentence in the Indiana Department of Correction.
