I’m on the Indiana Department of Correction’s notification list for any status change on Kofi Ajabu, one of three men sentenced to multiple life terms for the brutal murders of three young people in a Carmel, Ind. home back in 1994.
I got an email yesterday informing me that Ajabu “has been Deemed Ineligible for the Community Transition Program.”
According to the Indiana DOC web site, “The purpose of the Community Transition Program is to facilitate the successful reintegration of offenders returning to the community.”
But six hours later, I got this email:
You were sent notification earlier today regarding the CTP Status of KOFI M AJABU. This notification inaccurately reflected a change in the offender’s eligibility for CTP and was sent in error. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any questions about this individual’s status, please visit http://indianasavin.in.gov.
But when I click the hypertext link, I get a warning from Firefox that the link is insecure and that “this error could mean that someone is tampering with your connection.” So I’m pursuing other avenues to find out what is happening.
I sincerely hope that nobody is seriously considering letting this guy out of prison.
Ajabu, James Walls and Raymond Adams were convicted in the murders of Nick Allemenos, 17, his sister Lisa, 13 and family friend Chris James, 23, in the Allemenos home. James was staying with the kids while their father was on a golf vacation. I covered the murders and the trials, so I have kind of a personal connection to the case.
Testimony indicated that Adams had been to the Allemenos house a day or two earlier to sell marijuana to Nick. He was impressed by the affluence he saw there and returned later with Walls and Ajabu to rob the place. Testimony in the trials indicated the victims were bound with duct tape and their throats were slashed. Testimony strongly indicated that Adams was the one who did the slashing.
If this had occurred in neighboring Boone County, where Ern Hudson was sheriff and Becky McClure was prosecutor, these guys would either be on death row or be executed by now. But they had the good fortune to commit their crimes in Hamilton County where Prosecutor Sonia Leerkamp decided to do a deal rather than bring the hammer of justice down on them. Leerkamp offered Adams a life sentence in exchange for his testimony against the other two and, of course, he took the deal. She then chose not to seek the death penalty for Walls and Ajabu, arguing her decision would spare the Allemenos family the agony associated with the drama associated with protracted death penalty appeals. In my opinion, she lacked the confidence and competence to win a death penalty case.
23 comments:
If he did not do it then he should get the charge for robbery and not life for murder. The should still match the punishment. Kofi stole stuff Adams killed the victims with out Kofi any where near by. When Kofi went into the room, he found them dead and was shocked that it went that far. I can understand him doing time for the crime he committed and a little extra for being in the home when it happened. But not a full life sentence if he did not kill or order the death. He did not even expect murder to be part of the events that took place. Adams was hoping to use his knife two weeks be for the deaths. He followed through and may have planned it.
Rapblayz: If you are committing a felony and murder is commited during the commision of the felony, you are as guilty of the murder as the actual person who committed the murder. You may not like that assumption but that is the law.
This case has haunted me for 18 years now. Having said that I now have a son and daughter which makes this even more haunting. There is the law and there is personal attract or opinion . I say death or life behind bars was the right choices. However if my son or daughter were caught up in the same situation as kofi I wonder if my opinions would change. Luckily we don't live in hypothetical realities and therefore all 3 of those monsters should burn....slowly.
Kofi isn't totally Mr. Peaceful while in the DOC...The Pendleton facility was also under total lockdown for several days in June 2005.
In that case, convicted triple-murderer Kofi Ajabu, 34, allegedly severely beat prison guard Donald Semler on June 18 2005. Semler’s eye socket and collar bone were broken in the attack. His jaw was also broken in three places, according to court records.
Ajabu is charged with battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Class C felony, and is scheduled to stand trial in Madison Superior Court 1 in July 2005.
So, is he reformed?? I think he hasn't had enough time to calm down. That was 10 years after the robbery and murders. Please realize this was a guard not another inmate, so he has no respect for authority.
He has a Facebook page that his family keeps updated and prints out messages for him...This should help keep you up to date
http://www.facebook.com/pages/KOFI-MODIBO-AJABU/263887721128
I knew Nick and Lisa, having cared for them while their mom and step dad were out of town back in 1988...they were only 7 and 11 at the time and adorable kids. It does not matter that possibly Ajabu and Walls did not actually commit the murders. They were there while it happened, and they also fled the scene and tried to hide from police. If Ajabu was a truly compassionate person who was against the murders and only wanted "stuff", he would have gone running into the neighborhood street that early morning of 3/17/94 and screamed for help.
This case has haunted me also. I have no connection whatsoever but I can not get it out of my mind. I don't know why. I see those precious children and can not understand how anyone could do such a thing. I pray that God forgive me for the hatred I hold in my heart.
11Yes, when you are present at a crime and do not attempt to leave and report immediately, it speaks volumes to your guilt. Additionally, there were things that happened in that house that were kept from the public in respect to the victims and their survivors that would most likely implicate complicity with Adams.
why would someone make a fb page about this guy, i understand its family but its spitting in the face of the victims families. it should be taken down from the site. and she is posting on there that he didnt beat the shit out of the correctional guard and doesnt deserve to be in solitary? get out of here
Right you live in Indiana, where fearful white people need to keep a black man in prison to feel in control. The fact is, is that Dibo or Modibo as he rarely went by Kofi, but it does sound more Nation of Islam to feel prideful to say he belongs in jail. Adams is an evil, toxic person and always has been. Dibo is a caring compassionate person who helped others. He got caught up in some less than righteous things once in a while, but this situation is not in his character. My brother had gotten wrapped up in Raymond's escapades of robbing from retails stores and stealing credits cards to charge up. Raymond Adams had become extremely militant and had been conditioning himself to do something crazy. If the police and the law did what they should've done with Raymond years before he wouldn't been free to kill. As Indiana ususally does, it fail to follow through and remains conservative to serve the needs of the public concern for diversity and racial tension. If the reality was that Indiana became color blind and treated everyone equal, then the fact Dibo the son of militant Black Panther party leader should have the same rights to life as a white kid who made a mistake he would be out of jail already. I am sorry I didn't press the issue to let Dibo know to stay away from Raymond more strongly. I am glad we are aware of his prison experience as he is continually kept in solitary due to...uh wait...fear of a reputation he didn't create. Jail and prison are not reform...moron, they are punishments. your judgement should be looking in the mirror and not worrying about a child who hasn't had a chance in life. I hate law, prison, and the judgemental nature of man. Everytime his name is mentioned it is easily tarnished by the labels to make you feel empowered that he is imprisoned. What did the prison guard do to him should be the question...you think they are innocent, taunting and being rough with the inmates. You know not everything is one sided.
Your brother is lucky to be alive you racist degenerate. These murders scarred me for years as a child living in Thistlewood; if your "militant" dad didn't cry racial injustice your brother would already be deep-fried for participating in the most gruesome murder in Carmel's history. Keep relishing and perpetuating your façade of the 'poor repressed black victim' and that's just where you'll stay - mired below those who rise above adversity instead of looking for others to blame.
I went to school with Nick and actually knew every single person involved in the case. All three of the men are guilty point blank. Yes I knew them and had partied with them, but not a lot of people know EVERYTHING that happened in that house. They deserve to be in jail forever! I still deal with this daily and it has affected my life that no one will understand. I pray that Nick, Lisa, and CJ are looking over their families and are there for them today...the anniversary of this horrific crime.
This forum is full of racism. They had it out for Ajabu because of his dads involvement with the Black Panthers. He didn't actually commit the murders and should have only been convicted of the robbery itself. The fact that it was in Carmek , a so called affluent community it was just so unexpected..If it had of occurred on the East side of Indianapolis he would be out by now. To the person who used the term " deep fried "shows racism in your heart. The murderer is the one who did the crime itself...What if Kofi was your son asshole
I am a white male that actually was good friends with Dibo! If any of you racist jack offs actually knew this kid you would know that there is no way he was involved in the murdes! Burglary yes murders no way! The reason he did not run out of there or call the cops is because Cato (Raymond Adams) was murder thirsty and threatened to kill Dibo if he did anything other then what he was told! Know before you speak!!!
Jennifer Walsh...you're a white male? Ok, aside from that confusing start, your friend Dibo seems like a spineless waste. I remember when this happened. I was in junior high and I've never forgotten about it. If I am still haunted by this tragic situation I can only imagine the friends and family of the victims and the trauma they still deal with as a result of your wonderful friend. You are who you run with. Was Adams murder thirsty? Really? I'm certain that your friend Dibo stated as part of his defense that him and Wells thought they were only going to rob them and then party. Which was it? Was he terrified as you say or was he going to party as he stated? I know you want to support your friend but sometimes you just need to accept you're friend is a piece of sh*t and chalk it up as a loss. And if your friend was that much of a worthless human that he could be scared into killing innocent kids than he should be put to death or locked away like he is because it would be a shame for him to be persuaded again into such a horrible situation. I can only imagine how much venom they had for these kids simply because they were rich white kids from Carmel. Envy is a deadly sin.
If he was my son I would have taught him some decency and respected the rule of law - not cry 'racism' and threaten innocent people over the worst crime in my town's history. Like I said, it is downright patheitic, but I'm ok with life in prison. Cheaper and probably even more painful.
Spot on. Can't fly with the eagles hanging with the turkeys! Anyone proud to call this man a friend calls into question his own judgement.
I sit here reading all these comments and I can't believe the stupidity of some of the posters....First off...I was 22 years old when this happened. I lived in Carmel and worked close to there as well. Whoever said that this piece of human excrement shouldn't be held accountable for the murders honestly terrify me for our future. First with the racial aspect of it. If he had been a white man, half the so called "friends" of his would not even be worried about this. I get so sick of race playing a factor. The very fact that someone cries the race card, is the one I would consider a true racist. If it was a white man that had done this crime it would be a nonissue and then you would all be screaming BURY HIM UNDER THE JAIL The fact should not be that this ass is a black panther member's son and should be given a free pass because of the color of his skin and that he was only a "burglar" and not a killer...excuse me...he knew these kids parents were out of town and they were home alone. You don't enter into a house with the intent to commit a crime and not be planning on doing something else if someone decides to fight back. PERIOD.
SECOND - I knew the Allemenos father of this crime, he came into a restaurant where I bartended. I saw the crime scene photos of what these pukes did to these poor kids. I SAW THE AGONY AND LOSS of this father that he had to bury the very lives he helped bring into this world. You can't tell me that if the mother of this Dibo or his accomplice lives had been taken in a reverse situation that they wouldn't be screaming for justice just as this father did. I can guarantee you from talking to this man...he didn't care if the people who did it were black, white, green or from planet earth....he wanted his kids back! My only hope for you is that God never sees fit to grace you with kids and if he does he protects them from your special kind of stupidity. If it was your kids and you came home to find your murderered children with their throats slashed, I would hope you want someone who is half as outraged as I am standing behind you. The very fact that race is even brought up over the fact that a crime was committed and three children will never get to grow up and this man lost his ENTIRE family pretty much seems to be par for the course these days. At least this puke gets to talk to his family on visiting day at the jail. The broken man I saw back then will only be talking to his kids tombstones.
As for this being a race thing is truly appalling...last time I check we all BLEED THE SAME COLOR.
24 years ago TODAY you killed my friends. 24 years ago TODAY you made our community stronger. Rot in hell, Ajabu, Wells, and Adams.
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