(Michigan City, IN) - Revenge was the apparent motive of a man arrested for a Michigan City double homicide.

 

That’s according to the findings of the investigation in the case against Armann Johnson, 26, who’s charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with two counts of murder.

 

Travis Pennington, 35, and Kiara Hootman, 22, were inside a vehicle when shot early Thursday in the parking lot of Normandy Village Apartments.

 

La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson said Pennington was shot three times in the head and neck while Hootman sustained four gunshot wounds to the left arm and back.

 

According to court documents, the investigation shows Johnson and Hootman were involved in a brief, tumultuous relationship until she left him due to physical abuse.

 

She moved out of her apartment out of fear of Johnson returning and recently began staying with Pennington, who lived at Normandy Village, police said.

 

All of the parties involved once worked the same shift together at Hearthside Food Solutions, the maker of baked goods and other edible products on Michigan City’s west side.

 

Johnson, though, was terminated in July and later Pennington based on lack of attendance, police said.

 

Police said the investigation shows Pennington and Hootman were in the car together so he could take her to her job at the food making plant when roughly a dozen gunshots started ringing out.

 

It appears the gunfire came about a week after Johnson warned Pennington to stay away from Hootman or be “dealt with,” according to court documents.

 

Johnson after let go from the plant also confronted Pennington and Hootman at job site about their relationship, police said.

 

With help from a license plate reading camera, police said investigators were able to locate the vehicle belonging to Johnson outside his residence in the 800 block of Pine St.

 

The next day, a search of his vehicle and home turned up shards of glass similar to the ones from a passenger side mirror collected from where the victims were parked along with a black cloth gun holster fitted for a semi-automatic handgun, according to court documents.

 

Police said there was also dirt on the vehicle to explain the tire tracks left by the gunman driving through the grass at the apartment complex after the shooting.

 

Johnson was ordered to be held in the La Porte County Jail without bond pending the outcome of his initial court hearing scheduled Tuesday.