Teen suspect allegedly confessed after Marine vet killed in iPhone robbery gone wrong
The tragic incident involving the Marine veteran and missionary, Michael Ryan Burke, who was shot and killed during a Facebook Marketplace scam, has shocked the community. Burke, 42, had arranged to sell his iPhone Pro 15 through a meetup organized on the social platform for $585. Little did he know that he was falling into a trap set by local teens, including Alexis Baumann, Kobe Aust, Joseph Crane, and an unnamed juvenile.
According to court documents, Baumann confessed to driving the group to Burke’s home, where Crane and the minor went inside to retrieve the iPhone. Gunshots were heard, and Burke was fatally shot inside his home. The group fled in Baumann’s vehicle, later selling the stolen phone at an ecoATM at the Conley Road Walmart. Crane and the minor confessed to the shooting, while Baumann revealed that they disposed of their sweatshirts after the crime.
The group of teens had allegedly been involved in a series of phone robberies through Facebook Marketplace scams leading up to Burke’s murder. They targeted unsuspecting victims by arranging meetups to buy phones and then resorting to violence to steal them. Law enforcement was able to track down the perpetrators using Flock license plate cameras, leading to the arrests of Baumann, Aust, Crane, and the juvenile.
Currently, the three 18-year-olds are being held without bond at the Boone County Jail, while the juvenile is in custody at the Boone County Juvenile Office. The group is scheduled to appear in court next week to face charges related to the crimes they are accused of committing.
The tragic loss of Michael Ryan Burke serves as a reminder of the dangers that can arise from online transactions and the importance of being cautious when engaging in such exchanges. The community mourns the loss of a beloved veteran and missionary, while seeking justice for his senseless death at the hands of these young criminals.
