Noah Slinkard Obituary, BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Noah Slinkard, 24, died after being fatally shot in Bloomington, Indiana, on Thursday evening, October 8, 2026. A 23-year-old Bloomington man, Jaymon Trey Gilreath, has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting, according to the Bloomington Police Department.
Police said officers responded at approximately 8:15 p.m. to reports of a shooting in the 1000 block of North Illinois Street. Upon arrival, officers found Slinkard near the front door of an apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. Emergency personnel transported him by ambulance to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:49 p.m.
According to investigators, Slinkard had been sitting on the front porch of a residence with another man when Gilreath allegedly approached them on foot. The man who was with Slinkard reportedly told police that he witnessed Gilreath pull a handgun from his waistband and shoot Slinkard before leaving the area.
Investigators also received information that Gilreath allegedly believed Slinkard was involved in a relationship with Gilreath’s former girlfriend. Authorities have not confirmed that this alleged belief was the motive for the shooting, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
Following reports that the suspected shooter had left the scene, officers searched the surrounding area and located Gilreath at approximately 8:23 p.m. Police said he was taken into custody without incident. During a search along the reported route he had taken, investigators recovered a 9 mm handgun in a holster near a park bench in the 1300 block of West 13th Street. The firearm was collected as evidence, and investigators believe it may have been used in the shooting.
After witness interviews and questioning, Gilreath underwent a medical evaluation before being transported to the Monroe County Jail. According to police, he was booked on a felony murder charge. Authorities have not released further details about the events leading up to the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Slinkard’s death at 24 represents a tragic loss of life. Further information about his personal life, career, accomplishments, family, and funeral or memorial arrangements was not included in the information released for this report. His loved ones are left to navigate the loss of a young man whose life ended suddenly, while investigators continue working to establish the full circumstances of his death.
The Bloomington Police Department continues to investigate the case. Gilreath’s murder charge remains an allegation, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. As the community awaits further information, condolences go out to Noah Slinkard’s family, friends, and all those affected by his death. May his memory be treated with dignity and respect.