More than three years after Darian Wiley and Olivia Brown were shot and killed, the man police believe is responsible for their deaths appeared in Marion County Court on Friday, ankles in shackles and wrists in cuffs.
Noah Brimmage, 24, entered a plea of not guilty for two counts of murder, one count of robbery by means of a deadly weapon, three counts of battery and one count of criminal recklessness during his first court appearance on July 31, 2026. A single murder conviction could carry up to 65 years in prison.
Brown and Wiley were killed on May 6, 2023, after the friends went out for Cinco de Mayo in Indianapolis. Wiley, 27, worked in construction management, had a passion for robotics and was about to become an award-winning mentor. Brown, 24, was working toward becoming a licensed social worker.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Unsolved Homicide Unit took over the investigation after two years, the department said in a news release. Detectives presented their new findings to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office in July and charges followed.
Brown’s sister, Lauren Prestamer, said the news of the arrest was a relief. If the case goes to trial, Prestamer said her family will attend.
“We truly believed that we would never see this day,” Prestamer said.
Brimmage will remain detained until trial. His next court date is set for September.
Brown and Wiley ‘were such a light’
The family has kept the memory of their fun and loving sister alive over the past three years, Prestamer said. They’ll pour a margarita out for her and head to Red Lobster with her picture. At Brown’s celebration of life, a candy bar was set up and music “highly inappropriate for a funeral” played, Prestamer said.
She loved her friends, including Wiley. The two met at Ball State University. It wasn’t a surprise they were together that night, Prestamer said.
“They were such a light,” Prestamer said. “And it was…it’s impossible losing them.”
Since the death of her sister, Prestamer said she thinks about her every day, asking for little signs she’s still there. The family called her a “dime,” referencing her 10-out-of-10 beauty.
“So, my girls, her nieces, they know when we find a dime, it’s from Aunt Liv,” Prestamer said.
Wiley’s legacy of mentorship at Arsenal Tech High School lives on through Darian J. Wiley Campus Day. Students take part in campus beautification projects, and a tree has been planted in his honor. The school created the Darian Wiley Mentor of the Year award and Anthoney Hampton became the first recipient in 2024.
The last three years haven’t been easy for the families. Prestamer said her family has also dealt with online speculation around Brown and Wiley’s relationship as well as hard-to-read comments about the circumstances of their deaths.
“Two people lost their lives truly for nothing,” Prestamer said. “They did not know the suspects at all in any type of way. Darian was literally just walking her to her car. He was being a gentleman.”
Texts, car and gun provide clues in killings of Wiley and Brown
Police records describe video footage captured before the shootings that shows two people approaching Brown and Wiley on the 2100 block of Central Avenue. One man approaches Olivia as she sits in the driver’s seat, and the other person approaches Wiley as he walks to the passenger side. Wiley walks backward, and then tries to run, but he falls. Though Wiley had a pistol, detectives believe he dropped it during the attack because it was not found with his body, according to the affidavit.
Witnesses identified a damaged black Volkswagen Atlas and its license plate number, according to the probable cause affidavit. The car was registered to Brimmage’s mother, and it was located by a Flock camera near the scene of the shooting.
The affidavit also describes text messages from Brimmage’s phone, documenting him getting a black hoodie and stating he’s trying to make money by “car hopping.” On the day of the shooting, Brimmage texted a woman, “finna do it I love you. Remember every 30 min. or less.” There was no activity from Brimmage’s cell phone during the time of the shooting. Less than an hour after the shooting, Brimmage told the woman they were going to be rich.
About nine hours after the shooting, Brimmage took photos of Wiley’s stolen gun, and 12 hours later, Brimmage posted the gun for sale, the affidavit said. Forty-three hours after the shooting, police officers pulled Brimmage over during a traffic stop and found Wiley’s gun in the car. Brimmage told police he was “given” the gun and then later said he “bought it off the street,” the affidavit said.
Police believe Wiley and Brown were killed with a 9mm handgun, a weapon connected to Brimmage and other crimes, according to the probable cause affidavit. In 2025, Brimmage was convicted of arson and criminal recklessness. He pleaded guilty after admitting he shot at a person fleeing a burning building.
Another person seen on footage from the night of the shooting hasn’t been publicly identified by law enforcement.
Prestamer said her family feels for Brimmage’s family as he faces two murder charges.
“That has to be heartbreaking,” Prestamer said. “He’s so young. He’s the age now that Liv was when she died.”
Aubrey Wright is a breaking news reporter for the Indy Star. She can be reached at amwright@indystar.com.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Years after double killing in Indy, cold case team lands charges
Reporting by Aubrey Wright, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Aubrey Wright, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
