An Indianapolis Uber driver recently arrested in connection with the death of Chanti Dixon admitted to raping and fatally shooting the woman after picking her up from work on Sunday morning.
Francisco Valadez, 29, was arrested on Tuesday, Sept 10., by IMPD homicide detectives and preliminarily charged with murder, as reported by FOX 59.
Valadez reportedly admitted to police that he shot and killed the 30-year-old Dixon in a fit of rage after picking her up and attempting to rape her in the back of his car. He then said he dumped her body in an alleyway in a wooded area near the victim's home.
Dixon's Body Found After They Tracked Her Phone to the Woods Behind Her Home
Court documents filed Tuesday in Marion County Court revealed officers were called around 1 p.m. Monday to the 1800 block of Wagner Lane after a woman's body was found in a nearby wooded area. IMPD arrived to find a woman naked, unresponsive and lying on her stomach.
The victim's family said they tracked her phone to the woods behind her home where they found her body and called police. Dixon was pronounced dead on scene. She had a gunshot wound to the left side of her head.
A woman near the scene told police that the dead woman was her daughter who had been missing since early Sunday morning. The woman told officers her daughter had gotten off work around 3:30 a.m. and ordered an Uber to get home. No one had talked to her since.
Valadez Told Investigators a Black Man Tried to Carjack Them, Rob Dixon and Shot Her During the Attempt
IMPD crews reportedly found two cell phones in the wooded area near Dixon's body. Both phones were identified as belonging to Dixon. A search of the phone led investigators to Valadez.
Detectives then went to Valadez's home and began questioning him about Dixon. He told police that he did pick up Dixon on Sunday but then began to tell a story of how an armed Black man came up to his car and tried to rob Dixon.
"[Valadez] added that the suspect shot [Dixon] in the thigh and that she kicked herself out of his car and he fled the scene," police wrote. "He also said that he had cleaned the blood out of his car."
Police also reportedly spoke with Valadez's mother, who told them that her son owned a gun that he regularly carries. She added that he had recently cleaned out his car and that the items were still inside. After seizing the items for evidence, police took Valadez in for interrogation.
Valadez Said He Killed Dixon After She Insulted His Body, Tried to Have Sex with Her Corpse
Detectives took Valadez to the IMPD homicide office where he was reportedly read his Miranda Rights and signed a waiver agreeing to speak with police. After telling several stories about what happened to Dixon, Valadez reportedly admitted what actually happened.
"Mr. Valadez told two different stories as to what happened with Ms. Dixon," police wrote.
Detectives said Valadez admitted to raping the woman in the back of his car. While raping the woman, Valadez said she insulted his body. This reportedly caused him to become enraged and shoot Dixon in the head.
Valadez told police that after the shooting, he dragged Dixon out of his car and placed her lifeless body behind a concrete barrier at the dead end of Wagner Lane. The Uber driver also admitted to trying to have sex with Dixon's dead body, police said.
Valadez was then taken into custody by IMPD and later booked into the Marion County Jail on a felony murder charge. IMPD officials said Tuesday that more charges can be expected in the case. An initial court hearing has not yet been scheduled in his case.
