DOB: 03-04-1964
DOC#: 942131 Black Male

Vanderburgh County Circuit Court
Judge Richard L. Young

Prosecutor: Brett J. Niemeier, Jonathan J. Parkhurst

Defense: Dennis A. Vowels, Michael J. Danks

Date of Murder: May 27, 1993

Victim(s): Chris Fillbright W/M/22; Denise Powers W/F/22 (neighbor and her friend)

Method of Murder: shooting with handgun

Summary: Denise Powers was sitting in her car in the parking lot of Green River Manor Apartments in Evansville, waiting for her friend, Chris Fillbright.

As Fillbright reached for the passenger door handle, Prowell approached him from behind and shot him in the head without any words or provocation. Prowell then shot twice more through the passenger window, striking Powers in the face and back. Both Powers and Fillbright died. Prowell fled, running over he body of Fillbright as he went.

He was later arrested in Benton County, and the murder weapon and ammunition was recovered from his car. He later gave a statement admitting his involvement in the shootings, stating that he felt “threatened” by Fillbright, a Gulf War veteran, who looked at him with a “military look” in his eye earlier.

Conviction: Pled guilty to Murder (2 counts)

Sentencing: May 5, 1994 (Death Sentence)

Aggravating Circumstances: 2 murders

Mitigating Circumstances: no significant history of prior criminal conduct, grew up in dysfunctional family, may have been physically and emotionally abused, extreme mental or emotional distress, paranoid personality disorder