Here's a look at the top 5 trending stories on nwi.com from the weekend.
GARY — Police are seeking the public's help in identifying two men seen in the area of a double homicide involving a juvenile Saturday night in the 6800 block of E. Third Ave.
Police said they were called out to the residence at 8 p.m. in response to the sound of gunshots fired.
While searching the residence, officers found an adult female and male juvenile suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and unresponsive, according to Gary police. The pair were later declared dead at the scene by the Lake County Coroner's Office.
The Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit is seeking help identifying two men, whose images were caught near the site of the shootings.
Anyone with information on the identity of either man is encouraged to contact Detective Kristopher Adams at 219-755-3855 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP.
HAMMOND — A man described as armed and dangerous by police was tackled at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond.
Giovanni Castrejon, 26, of Chicago, was wanted for armed home invasion and kidnapping in Illinois, according to Hammond police.
The Blue Net license plate reader system showed that Castrejon's car was involved in an armed home invasion and kidnapping in Illinois, police said.
At 8 p.m. Friday, a Hammond officer was alerted through a mobile license plate reader that the vehicle was entering Hammond and approaching the casino.
The officer immediately went to Horseshoe Casino and found the vehicle sitting in the parking garage with no one inside. Indiana Gaming Commission officers found Castrejon inside the casino.
As the Gaming Commission officers and Hammond police approached him, he allegedly fled, police said.
Officers tackled Castrejon and an Indiana Gaming Commission officer suffered an injury to his arm while apprehending him, police said.
Catrejon and the vehicle were taken into custody and held Riverside police in Illinois.
“Hammond police would like to thank Indiana Gaming Commission officers for their assistance in apprehending this dangerous suspect,” Lt. Steve Kellogg said.
HAMMOND — A Gary man has been accused of using his Facebook profile to shoot video commercials for a variety of firearms and drugs, court documents allege.
Court records allege Michael Thedford used his Facebook profile pseudonym, “Mikey Iky Dashoota,” for his promotional videos. Court documents filed Thursday show a criminal complaint against Thedford, alleging his possession of firearms violates law because Thedford is an alleged drug user and has a previous domestic violence conviction.
A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, cataloging Thedford's many advertisement-like videos and posts.
On Oct. 26, Thedford appeared in a Facebook Live video rolling a marijuana cigarette as a handgun protrudes from his pocket, flourishing the handgun for the viewers briefly, court documents state.
A few days later, on Oct. 29, Thedford posted another live video in which he appears to be smoking a marijuana cigarette with a handgun and a gun's drum magazine on his lap. Thedford then allegedly displays a mini Draco AK-47-type firearm and a substance suspected to be marijuana.
In a Nov. 10 video, Thedford is seen driving around smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette, saying, “I done smoked five blunts with little Trey,” court records state. Later in the month, Thedford allegedly advertised to viewers that he has drip, or marijuana, for sale.
On Dec. 16, Thedford posted a Facebook Live video showing him at his Gary residence displaying a Glock handgun, with a drum magazine and laser beam, and a black handgun as he smoked what appeared to be a marijuana, court reports said. He then displayed the bag of alleged marijuana to viewers.
On Dec. 27, Thedford posted an apparent promo trade offer for Glock handguns, in which someone commented, “That's a deal Oml.”
More recent posts include one from March discussing the price of firearm accessories. On March 17, Thedford posted another video encouraging viewers to “slide through... flame it up,” meaning to “come to his residence and smoke marijuana with him,” court documents said.
On March 21, police executed a search warrant on Thedford's Gary residence on Jefferson Street, in which two bags containing suspected crack cocaine packaged for distribution, three firearms, marijuana and a backpack containing a Beretta pistol, a Glock with an extended magazine and two drum magazines loaded with ammunition were allegedly found.
Thedford was previously convicted in a misdemeanor count of domestic violence in 2015 in Allen County in Indiana.
Thedford was arrested on Thursday and had an initial appearance, in which the government moved for continuation of hearing. Thedford's probable cause hearing is set for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Hammond.
MUNSTER — A sport utility vehicle and motorcycle were involved in a crash at the intersection of Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue, sending one to the hospital.
Just after 2 p.m. Saturday police were dispatched to the intersection for the wreck, Chief Steve Scheckel said.
The motorcyclist reported knee pain and had some blood in their mouth at the scene, Scheckel said. The motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital from the scene.
CROWN POINT — A Schererville man pleaded guilty Friday to 17 counts of robbery and attempted robbery linked to a nearly three-week crime spree that left employees at many Region restaurants on edge.
Dionysios T. Doukas, 36, took a plea deal after Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez ruled a day earlier that prosecutors could call Doukas’ former finance to testify that Doukas described his M.O. to her in detail just weeks before the robbery spree.
Doukas first trial on four cases had been scheduled to begin April 8.
Doukas told the woman during a late-night meeting at a McDonald’s restaurant that if he were to rob such establishments late at night, when few employees were present, he would use a fake gun wrapped in plastic.
Doukas did exactly that when he committed 18 robberies and attempted robberies in Crown Point, Griffith, Highland, Hobart, Munster, Schererville, St. John and West Creek Township, Lake Criminal Court records say.
Doukas robbed or attempted to rob 26 people between Oct. 31 and Nov. 19, 2017, at businesses that included Subway restaurants, other restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations, a natural foods store, hotels and a tanning salon, records say.
In exchange for Doukas' plea, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michael Toth agreed not to file charges in a Nov. 18, 2017, robbery at a Subway restaurant in Hammond.
Police arrested Doukas on Nov. 19, 2017, after he robbed a Subway off I-65 in unincorporated Lowell and led police on a chase to Chesterton.
Doukas’ attorney, Angela Jones, and Toth will be free to argue Doukas’ sentence, but he will receive no more than 20 years under the plea deal.
Each of the 17 counts to which Doukas admitted carries a sentence of one to six years in prison, with an advisory sentence of three years.
Vasquez set a sentencing hearing for May 17.
Doukas also has several pending cases in Porter and LaPorte counties that are related to the robbery spree.
