Gary woman admits helping hide weapon used in two murders

CROWN POINT, Ind. - A Gary woman has admitted helping hide a gun her boyfriend used to kill two teenagers at a Gary-area home, court records show.

Dawn Carden, 43, pleaded guilty Monday to assisting a criminal and dangerous control of a firearm in connection with the Oct. 16, 2020, shooting deaths of Elijah Robinson, 18, and Maxwell Kroll, 17.

If Lake Superior Court Judge Salvador Vasquez accepts Carden’s plea agreement, she could face a sentence of 1-12 years in prison, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

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Carden also remains charged in U.S. District Court in Hammond and could face additional prison time if convicted of making a false statement to purchase a firearm. She’s pleaded not guilty in that case.

Dawn Carden, Alvino Amaya, and Elijah D. Robinson

Alvino S. "Vino" Amaya, 37, was convicted March 3 of two counts of murder. His sentencing hearing is set for April 29.

Carden admitted in her plea agreement that she and Amaya thought Robinson had taken a missing gun that belonged to Carden and her son.

Amaya and Elijah D. Robinson, who is not related to the victim Elijah Robinson, went to the teens’ home on Oct. 16, 2020, and executed them, prosecutors have said in court.

Maxwell Kroll and Elijah Robinson | Legal Help Firm

Later that day, Carden rented a storage unit in Gary where police later recovered a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

Elijah D. Robinson pleaded guilty to one felony count of residential entry and could face a sentence of six months to 2 1/2 years. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss his other charges, including murder, in exchange for his cooperation. He’s scheduled to be sentenced June 28.