Avance v. State

GIVAN, Justice.

A jury trial resulted in the conviction of appellant of murder for which he received a sentence of sixty (60) years.

The facts are: On the evening of August 15, 1986, appellant, Jeff Small, and Andrew Grove drove from South Bend to Elkhart to attend a party. Ella Davis also joined appellant, Small, and Grove after the party. Later that evening, they encountered members of a rival gang. Appellant, Small, and Grove then discovered some vehicles belonging to the rival gang members and they slashed the tires on these vehicles. Soon thereafter William Wilks (the victim), Regina…