FISHERS, INDIANA: A man with a history of domestic violence has been arrested in Indiana after allegedly stalking and killing his former spouse. Joshua Alexander Farmer, accused of stalking Kaylah Ann Farmer, shot her more than a dozen times at a gas station pump, according to authorities. The suspect was apprehended and now faces charges including murder, stalking while armed, criminal recklessness, and unlawful carrying of a handgun.
According to a press release issued by the Fishers Police Department, the incident occurred on June 28, at approximately 5 pm, at the Speedway gas station near 116th Street and Allisonville Road, about 20 miles northeast of Indianapolis. First responders arrived at the scene to find Kaylah Ann Farmer, an adult female victim, seated in a red Chrysler van, with multiple gunshot wounds. Tragically, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Who is Joshua Alexander Farmer?
Shortly after the shooting, investigators identified the victim's husband, Joshua Alexander Farmer, 32, as a person of interest in the case. Surveillance footage from the gas station revealed that Farmer arrived at the scene shortly after his wife and unleashed a barrage of gunshots into her window, completely emptying his weapon. A witness recalled hearing approximately "30 to 40 total shots" during the attack.
Joshua Farmer was believed to be driving an orange or maroon-colored Kia Soul, which belonged to someone else, when he ambushed his ex-wife. Law enforcement officials stated that the suspect had spent the day following Kaylah Farmer before deciding to carry out the alleged attack when she stopped for gas on her way home from work. An autopsy later revealed that Kaylah had suffered more than 15 gunshot wounds throughout her body. Additionally, over 25 bullet fragments were recovered from her body during the procedure, per court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
Stalking and premeditation
A day after the shooting, detectives from various law enforcement agencies were conducting electronic surveillance in the area where the attack occurred. During the operation, one of the detectives noticed a pair of shoes hidden behind shrubs and approached cautiously. Making eye contact with the individual hiding, the detective identified him as Joshua Farmer. The suspect was promptly apprehended without incident and taken into custody. During the subsequent search of the Kia Soul, investigators discovered a 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat. The firearm matched the shell casings found at the crime scene, further linking Joshua Farmer to the murder of Kaylah Ann Farmer.
Court documents filed by prosecutors in Hamilton County Superior Court shed light on the troubled relationship between the suspect and the victim. Prosecutors asserted that it was widely known that Kaylah Farmer had been a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her husband. The court documents also mentioned her habit of wearing excessive makeup to hide the bruises on her face and neck, resulting from being punched and choked.
Previous incident
In a separate incident from May 2023, Joshua Farmer faced multiple charges related to an attack on Kaylah Farmer. According to court documents, Farmer's 11-year-old son provided a harrowing account of witnessing his father choking and physically assaulting his mother. The child further stated that he heard his father repeatedly punching his mother during the altercation. Additionally, the boy revealed that his father had forced both him and his mother to sit facing each other in chairs. Joshua Farmer then allegedly held a firearm to his mother's head and presented her with a chilling ultimatum, asking “mom to choose between herself or him.”
The victim, Kaylah Ann Farmer, had worked at IU Health for eight years and had previously served in the US Air Force. “Her three children were her whole life,” Kaylah's obituary states. “She absolutely loved them and enjoyed watching them play soccer.” Meanwhile, Joshua Alexander Farmer remains in custody, facing charges of murder, stalking while armed with a deadly weapon, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, and unlawful carrying of a handgun.
