INDIANAPOLIS — A man was found guilty of attempted murder after a brutal assault on a neighbor outside an apartment complex in Fountain Square earlier this year. The violence erupted when Brandon Allen Eaton, 35, attacked Joshua Burton with a two-by-four, leaving the victim critically injured.
Police received a welfare check call around 5:20 a.m. on January 27, after Burton’s wife expressed concern for her husband’s safety following a disturbing encounter with Eaton. Earlier that night, the couple had returned home from a party, only to find Eaton acting erratically in the parking area and asking for drugs.
Later that evening, as Burton took their dogs for a walk, his wife heard a commotion in the stairwell. Upon investigating, she observed Eaton standing over her husband with a wooden plank. Moments later, Burton was rushed to a local hospital, where he was intubated and placed in a coma due to multiple skull fractures and a brain bleed requiring surgical intervention.
Security camera footage from the apartment complex captured parts of the incident, showing Eaton wandering with cake in one hand while holding the 2×4 in the other. Although the actual attack was not recorded, loud disturbances can be heard in the background, along with Burton’s wife pleading for Eaton to leave the premises.
Burton’s family described him as stable post-surgery, though he remained unconscious long after the altercation. His mother recounted speaking with him shortly before the incident, sharing that he had wanted to avoid confrontation with Eaton, who he knew was homeless.
Eaton was identified through a Facebook post by his sister, who alerted the police about his involvement in the assault. She informed officers that Eaton had been homeless and that she was unaware of his current whereabouts. Detectives later linked him to another shooting incident that occurred nearby on the same day.
Following her identification of him, officers located Eaton in the hospital where he was receiving treatment for unrelated injuries and took him into custody on February 1. He faced charges of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery.
The court revealed that Eaton had a long history of criminal activity, with 23 previous charges since 2006, primarily for misdemeanors including several incidents of battery and trespassing. He had also previously undergone mental health evaluations and drug rehabilitation.
Sentencing for Eaton is scheduled for May 27 at 10 a.m. in Marion Superior Court 30. The outcome of this case serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles with violence and homelessness in urban settings, highlighting the complexities of community safety and mental health.