Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter announced that Dejuan Boyd McIntyre has been sentenced to a total of 117 years in the Indiana Department of Correction following his convictions for Murder and Attempted Murder stemming from a June 2023 shooting in Merrillville.
Judge imposed the following sentence:
• Count I – Murder: 65 years
• Firearm Sentencing Enhancement: 15 years
• Count II – Attempted Murder: 37 years
The sentences will be served consecutively for a total executed sentence of 117 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.
The charges stemmed from a June 8, 2023 shooting near the 6400 block of Mississippi Street in Merrillville, Indiana. According to court documents, officers responded to reports of shots fired and discovered two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Ashley Bitikofer was pronounced deceased at the scene, while Michael Lehman survived multiple gunshot injuries.
Investigators identified Dejuan McIntyre as the shooter following an extensive investigation involving witness statements, surveillance footage, license plate reader technology, and digital evidence.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of this violent and calculated act,” said Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter. “Our thoughts remain with the victims and their loved ones who continue to endure the devastating impact of this tragedy. We are grateful for the dedication of law enforcement and prosecution teams who worked tirelessly to secure justice.”
Prosecutor Carter thanks Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Arturo Balcazar and Jacob Brandewie for their tireless dedication to this case and the investigation team led by Detective Alexander Van Rite, along with Cpl. Henry, Officer, Officer T. Miches, D. Mazurek, E. Meyer, A. Earley, M. Vassel, Det. Diehl all of Merrillville Police Department. And with assistance from the Det. C. Jones and Lake County Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Agent K. Kuhn FBI/GRIT, Agent N. Robertson FBI and Analyst Karry Spechert of Telemat/Viapath whose work contributed to the successful prosecution of the case.
