Darren Deon Vann - authorities fear alleged Indiana Strangler serial killer may have been active for two decades or more

His first known victim was 19-year-old Afrika Hardy (aka Octavia), a known prostitute in Hammond, Indiana who advertised her services on the Illinois area of Backpage.com. On October 17, 2014, a female friend helped Afrika arrange a meeting with 43-year-old Darren Deon Vann at a Motel 6 at 3840 179th Street in Hammond, Indiana. Soon thereafter, the friend began receiving “suspicious text messages” from Afrika’s phone. Alarmed and concerned for Afrika’s safey, she called a male friend who went to the Motel 6 to check on her. There, at around 9:30 PM, the man found Afrika’s strangled body in the bathtub.

Darren Deon Vann - authorities fear alleged Indiana Strangler serial killer may have been active for two decades or more