The sudden and tragic death of 26-year-old Arrianna Miles on November 17, 2025, has sent ripples through the community of Gary, Indiana, as police and prosecutors grapple with a complex case centered on domestic violence allegations and a fatal gunshot wound. The man accused in her death, Charles Franklin, also 26, and the father of their 11-month-old son, is now facing a litany of charges, including murder, in connection with the incident that unfolded on the 2400 block of Pennsylvania Street.
The Scene and Immediate Aftermath
The events that led to Miles’s death began with a police response to a reported gunshot victim. Upon arrival at the Pennsylvania Street residence, officers discovered a grim scene. Arrianna Miles was found on the ground, staring upward, with a visible red stain in her abdomen area. Standing over her was Charles Franklin.
Franklin immediately directed officers to the alleged weapon, stating that the gun was located beneath a loveseat. Police subsequently recovered a sawed-off shotgun from the specified location.
Miles was quickly transported to the Methodist Hospital Northlake emergency room. However, the efforts to save her life were unsuccessful. The Lake County Coroner’s Office later confirmed that Arrianna Miles was pronounced deceased at 3:04 p.m. Her preliminary cause of d-e-a-t-h was determined to be bleeding to d-e-a-t-h after suffering a close-range gunshot wound. Autopsy results further indicated that the projectile entered her body on a downward trajectory.
Charles Franklin’s Account to Police
In the immediate aftermath, Charles Franklin offered a version of events to the police. He claimed that the couple was engaged in an argument when Miles was allegedly holding the gun. He stated that a struggle, involving both fighting and wrestling, ensued between them, and it was during this physical altercation that the gun discharged, striking Miles.
Franklin’s account immediately raised questions for investigators, particularly when contrasted with the nature of the wound and other evidence. Later, during a formal interview with police, Franklin provided a more detailed narrative concerning the argument itself.
He told authorities that the verbal dispute with Miles, his girlfriend and the mother of his child, stemmed from his delay in leaving to retrieve cigars from a gas station. He claimed that Miles was in the process of forcing him to leave and was bringing up old grievances, including an alleged infidelity on his part. He characterized his own behavior as an effort to remain calm and non-physical.
Franklin claimed that Miles, while holding their son and throwing his clothes onto the living room floor, grabbed the sawed-off shotgun from a closet. He alleged that she held the weapon with the barrel facing herself, with the stock angled upward and the barrel pointing downward. Police noted that this description of how the weapon was held was contradictory to the size and weight of the sawed-off shotgun recovered at the scene.
Franklin then alleged that he approached Miles, made contact with the butt of the gun, and attempted to seize it from her. He claimed that it was at this moment the gun went off, fatally striking Miles. When questioned about the presence of additional ammunition lying around the residence, Franklin stated he had no knowledge of it. In a later search of Miles’s house, police did locate five 12-gauge shotgun shells that matched the one spent shell casing recovered at the scene.
A Chilling 911 Call and Miles’s Dying Words
The evidence gathered by law enforcement extends beyond Franklin’s statement and the physical evidence at the scene. The recording of the 911 call placed by Franklin moments after the shooting provides a harrowing glimpse into Miles’s final moments and casts further doubt on Franklin’s account of an accidental discharge.
During the call, Franklin informed the dispatcher that Miles had been shot in the stomach and that he was attempting to apply pressure to the wound. Crucially, when asked directly if the shooting was intentional, Franklin can be heard hesitating before finally replying “no.” He also claimed the bleeding was under control, a statement that would later be contradicted by the medical and autopsy findings.
More tragically, Arrianna Miles herself is audible in the background of the call. In immense pain, she repeatedly asked, “Why would you do that?” As her condition worsened, Miles sounded as though she was drifting in and out of consciousness, uttering statements such as “I’m d-y-i-n-g” and “take me outside.” Her voice then faded, ultimately going silent as she struggled to breathe.
Upon the arrival of the police, Miles was allegedly able to communicate one final, urgent request, reportedly asking officers to “Please get him away from me,” referring directly to Charles Franklin. These words, suggesting fear and accusation, are powerful evidence challenging the narrative of a simple, tragic accident during a struggle.
A History of Alleged Domestic Abuse
Further investigation into the relationship between Arrianna Miles and Charles Franklin uncovered a disturbing pattern of alleged domestic violence, which is now central to the charges filed against him. A law enforcement database revealed multiple prior incidents detailing alleged physical and emotional abuse by Franklin toward Miles.
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April 12, 2025: Records show an alleged incident where Franklin reportedly choked, punched, and hit Miles with a belt. This incident led to both individuals filing protective orders against each other during that month. This day is now the basis for a misdemeanor domestic battery charge against Franklin.
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May 2, 2025: A database record documents a domestic incident when Miles asked Franklin to leave the residence. His alleged response was chilling: he replied that he loved her but threatened to k-l-l her. This incident has resulted in Franklin being charged with intimidation, a Level 6 felony.
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June 9, 2025: Cook County Police responded to a report at a parking garage. Miles alleged that Franklin had struck and choked her before slamming her into the ground, reportedly causing her to lose consciousness for a period of time.
In addition to these documented reports, a witness provided an account of another incident, specifically identifying Franklin as the aggressor toward Miles. This documented history paints a devastating portrait of an abusive relationship that tragically culminated in the loss of Arrianna Miles’s life.
The Charges and Legal Standing
Based on the evidence collected at the scene, the autopsy results, the 911 call, Miles’s final statements, Franklin’s inconsistent account, and the extensive history of alleged domestic violence, Charles Franklin is now facing a formidable array of criminal charges.
The most serious charge is murder. In addition, the following charges have been filed:
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Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon: This charge is a Level 4 felony in Indiana, suggesting Franklin had a prior conviction that legally prohibited him from possessing the sawed-off shotgun used in the shooting.
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Domestic Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon: This is a Level 5 felony.
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Domestic Battery Committed in the Presence of a Child Younger Than 16: This charge is significant, given Franklin’s own statement that Miles was holding their 11-month-old son when the argument escalated.
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Intimidation (Level 6 felony): Stemming from the May 2, 2025, incident where he allegedly threatened to k-l-l Miles.
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Misdemeanor Domestic Battery: Related to the April 12, 2025, incident.
The severity of the charges and the flight risk suggested by the nature of the alleged crime and the alleged prior actions have led the court to hold Charles Franklin in custody without bail as the legal process moves forward.
The Broader Context of Domestic Violence
The case of Arrianna Miles is a devastating reminder of the pervasive and often fatal danger of domestic violence. The sequence of events—the arguments, the protective orders, the alleged threats, and the ultimate fatality—follows a pattern tragically familiar to advocates and law enforcement. The presence of a firearm, especially an illegal one like the sawed-off shotgun recovered at the scene, dramatically escalates the risk in domestic disputes.
Arrianna Miles was 26 years old and a mother of an 11-month-old son. Her life was cut short, leaving behind a young child who will now grow up without his mother. The legal proceedings against Charles Franklin will seek to establish accountability for her d-e-a-t-h and bring to light the full, painful truth of the relationship.
The prosecution will likely rely heavily on the physical evidence—the close-range nature of the wound, the downward trajectory of the bullet which may contradict Franklin’s claim that she was holding the barrel facing herself with the stock angled up—as well as the powerful testimonial evidence from the 911 call, in which Miles explicitly asks “Why would you do that?” and later asks police to “Please get him away from me.”
As the legal battle commences, the focus remains on securing justice for Arrianna Miles and highlighting the critical need for vigilance and intervention in cases of domestic abuse to prevent further tragedies. The Gary, Indiana, community now waits for the trial to unfold, seeking clarity and resolution for the heartbreaking loss of one of their own.