Friends mourn death of 88-year-old, city’s oldest homicide victim in 3 years

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Grieving friends remembered the life of an 88-year-old man found dead Tuesday on the near south side of Indianapolis.

He was the city’s oldest homicide victim in at least three years, a police spokesperson told News 8.

Officials identified him as Carl Petroff in a statement issued Wednesday.

He was found unresponsive around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in a home in the 2500 block of Union Street, authorities said.

The case — initially a death investigation — was upgraded to a homicide after detectives “noted apparent trauma to the body, which did not appear natural,” according to police.

Detectives declined to disclose further details about the victim’s injuries.

“It’s very tragic,” Amy Cohron told News 8. “Makes me very mad.”

Cohron had been friends with the victim for more than 30 years, she said, and rushed to the scene after learning about his death on Facebook.

She described him as a veteran, bar owner and longtime pool buddy.

“Everybody loved him,” Cohron said. “Lots of people knew him… We could sit and talk for hours. He was very jovial, funny [and] a very big prankster.”

She was unable to fathom how anybody could hurt him, she added.

Authorities were also unable to provide a possible motive or suspect information.

Steve Riddle, a neighbor who had lived down the street for more than 16 years, said his family was shaken by police activity “too close to home.”

“It’s [usually] quiet,” he told News 8. “It’s peaceful. You don’t see no crime.”

Anybody with information relating to the homicide investigation is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS. Tips can be submitted anonymously.