‘No one cares’: Father of slain Indy rapper seeks answers from police
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After more than three years, a lack of evidence has stalled justice in the 2015 shooting of 25-year-old Richard Noel Jr. But Noel’s father says the evidence on his son’s cellphone could help police nab the suspect.
“There is only one person who wanted to kill my son,” said Richard Noel Sr.
A local rapper known sometimes as Riko V, Noel Jr.’s talents had been gaining national attention. He was scheduled to meet with national recording artist DJ Kid Capri in December of 2015, but the young father wouldn’t make it to that meeting. On Oct. 20, 2015, he was shot and killed answering his front door.
“If I live to be 100 years old, I’m still going to have these tears in my eyes,” said Noel Sr.
In a candid interview, Noel said his son’s cellphone contains threatening messages. He believes the threats are about a woman Noel had been dating. Noel says he pointed investigators in the direction of the threats, but the phone was given back to him.
Noel said he was told by investigators there simply wasn’t enough information to make an arrest.
Over the years Noel Sr. has spoken at news conferences, where he carried pictures of Noel Jr. He used his voice to sound the alarm about his son’s death and other Indianapolis unsolved murders.
“You all got to solve these murders. Ain’t nobody talking, that’s stupid,” said Noel Sr.
During the interview, Noel Sr. made it clear he hasn’t received any updates on his son’s case. When News 8 asked if he believes one day his son’s case will be solved, his response spoke to the hopelessness he feels: “No, because no one is looking into it. No one cares.”
This week, News 8 reached out to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department about the status of Noel Jr.’s case. The department said it was working to give us a status update on the investigation.
“If the case is not cut and dry, they caught the guy with the gun and they were 3 or 4 feet away, they are not pushing it,” said Noel Sr.
