Editor’s note: The following story contains details and charges of domestic abuse, violence and murder. The content may be distressing for some readers. Reader discretion is strongly advised. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or has experienced, domestic violence, please seek support from local resources and organizations specializing in domestic violence awareness and assistance. One such outlet is Prevail Inc. (317.773.6942).
Nearly a month before Noblesville resident Kaylah Ann Farmer was shot to death June 28 at the Speedway on 116th and Allisonville Road in Fishers, police in Noblesville started investigating allegations of domestic abuse by Farmer’s ex-husband, Joshua Alexander Farmer, who has been charged with her murder.
The alleged abuse included strangulation, battery and criminal confinement and using a firearm to threaten Kaylah Ann and one of their children.
According to a probable cause statement filed in Hamilton County Court by Noblesville Police Department Officer Hayley Allen, Kaylah Farmer’s supervisor at work notified the Indiana Department of Child Services in late May that Kaylah Farmer had been attempting to hide a black eye and bruises, including bruising on her neck.
Allen wrote that on June 2, she interviewed Kaylah and Joshua Farmer’s three children, identified as victims 1, 2 and 3 — ages 11, 6 and 4, respectively — about an incident that took place May 21. The oldest of the three children allegedly told police that his parents had been arguing, and during the argument he saw his father choking his mother to the point where he could hear her struggling to breathe.
“(Victim 1) states he could hear the accused punching her,” Allen wrote. “The accused had told V1 to go sit in the corner in their downstairs living room. He stated at this point his younger brothers were located upstairs. V1 stated his mother was instructed to sit in the other corner. He stated at this point his mother was naked because the accused had ripped her clothes off. He noticed the ripped red shirt and what looked like boxers by her.”
The boy also told Allen that he saw red marks on his mother’s body, that her eye was starting to bruise, and her neck was red. Allen wrote that the boy said his father then pointed a gun at the 11-year-old’s head and pushed the child’s head down with the end of the barrel and told his mother to choose between herself and the boy.
Allen wrote that she also interviewed Kaylah Ann Farmer, who said she tried to call 911 during the argument, but Joshua Farmer took the phone away from her. She told police that during the argument, her ex-husband bit her, punched her multiple times in the head and face, used a baseball bat to hit her on the back, held a gun to her head, kicked her in the torso and choked her several times.
“Kaylah reported that choking her was his go-to way,” Allen wrote. “She stated he applied pressure with both of his hands to the point it was hard to breathe. She stated he knows when to stop so she doesn’t pass out.”
Charges stemming from that incident were filed in Hamilton County Court on June 5, and no-contact orders were issued, along with an arrest warrant for Joshua Farmer. Noblesville law enforcement officers searched for Farmer, but he had evaded arrest, according to court documents.
The probable cause statement connected to murder charges against Joshua Farmer was filed July 5 by Fishers Police Department Det. Jonathan Dossey. He wrote that the shooting was reported at about 5:20 p.m. June 28. Responding officers found Kaylah Ann Farmer in the driver’s seat of her maroon van, dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Dossey obtained security video footage from the business, which showed the maroon van pull up to one of the pumps, and shortly after a Kia Soul drove up and stopped at the passenger side door of the van for about 9 seconds. The Kia Soul drove away, but then returned.
“The Kia Soul drove back into camera view and stopped at the front bumper of the maroon van,” Dossey wrote. “I observed the windshield of the maroon van appear to be taking rounds as it appeared the windshield glass was spraying from the windshield. The Kia Soul was stopped in front of the maroon van for approximately 6 seconds. The Kia Soul then drove around the driver side of the maroon van and parked for approximately 20 seconds. The Kia Soul then drove out towards 116th Street and turned eastbound.”
Dossey wrote that it appears the suspect shot the victim from three locations — front passenger door, front bumper and driver’s door. Witnesses told police they heard up to 40 shots fired.
Farmer had allegedly borrowed the Kia Soul from a friend, and police later found the car and collected a spent 9mm shell casing from the interior. That shell allegedly matched other casings found at the scene of the Speedway shooting.
Farmer was arrested June 29 when law enforcement officers spotted his shoes behind some shrubs in the 1100 block of Roosevelt Avenue in Indianapolis. No weapons were found in the area or in his possession.
Dossey wrote that the autopsy of Kaylah Farmer revealed more than 15 gunshot wounds, and more than 25 bullet fragments were recovered from her body.
The next scheduled hearing in the case against Joshua Farmer is Aug. 18 in Hamilton County Superior Court. A trial has tentatively been set for Nov. 8. Farmer remains in custody at the Hamilton County Jail.
An obituary for Kaylah Ann Farmer states that she was born in Muncie and worked at IU Health. She previously served in the U.S. Air Force.
“Her three children were her whole life,” the obituary states. “She absolutely loved them and enjoyed watching them play soccer.”
Memorial contributions in her name can be given to domestic violence awareness groups, according to the obituary.
