COLUMBUS, Ohio – The tragic shooting at a 2020 Fourth of July barbecue in South Linden that left a 14-year-old girl dead and two other teens injured remains an unsolved mystery. The driver involved in the shooting has admitted his role and has been sentenced to more than 20 years behind bars, but the person who pulled the trigger has not been identified or apprehended.
Michael R. Green, now 20, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and felonious assault in the shooting that took the life of Indiah Corley. This plea deal led to the dismissal of charges of aggravated murder, murder, and improper discharge of a firearm into a habitation.
The judge imposed a sentence of at least 23 years in prison, with the first 11 years being mandatory, meaning Green will not be eligible for early release until after serving that time. During the sentencing, Green refused to identify the shooter, despite admitting to knowing their identity.
According to Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Lindsay Potter, Green, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, drove down Vesta Avenue in South Linden with another member of a gang. After spotting a group of teenagers in a front yard, Green turned the car around, allowing the passenger to fire multiple rounds at the group. One of these bullets struck Indiah in the head. She was not the intended target and tragically passed away seven days after the shooting.
Video footage from the neighborhood captured the shooting, and posts on Green’s Instagram account took credit for the drive-by. Cellphone records also placed Green in the area at the time of the shooting. Despite knowing the motive, Green told detectives the shooting was about “nothing, maybe a girl.”
During the sentencing, Indiah’s sister, Satara Corley, forgave Green, acknowledging that he was not the one who pulled the trigger that took her sister’s life. She emphasized that Indiah was innocent and had been simply spending time with friends, and that she would not get a second chance at life.
The case serves as a tragic example of the devastating impact of senseless violence in communities, leaving families shattered and searching for closure. Despite the sentencing of the driver, the lack of information about the actual shooter continues to fuel the pain and frustration of those affected by Indiah’s untimely death.