Emanuel Carter, who was 15 when he killed 18-year-old Makayla Bauman during a drug deal, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to murder.
The shooting took place on Sept. 29, 2024, at an apartment complex in Beech Grove, an Indianapolis suburb. Court records show Carter and another person approached Bauman and her brother with guns while the siblings were attempting to sell marijuana. One of the gunmen reportedly said, "Give me everything! Do you want to die?"
Bauman's brother tried to flee by reversing the car, but Carter opened fire. One bullet struck Bauman in the chest. She was taken to a hospital, where she died. Carter later told detectives he believed he and his brother were being robbed, though police found no weapons with Bauman or her brother.
Before sentencing, Carter apologized for his actions, according to a local courtroom report. Prosecutors had filed the murder charges against Carter in adult court. Police identified the second shooter as Carter's brother but have not disclosed whether charges were filed against him.