He Bragged About Shooting A Father of 5 in Face. City Gave Him $6,000 Grant.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has uncovered another felon who received thousands of dollars in taxpayer money through the city’s Alive Grant program. It turns out, the city gave a convicted murderer, who bragged about shooting a father of 5 in the face, $6,000.

The grant awardee is Antrone L. Crockett and his organization, the Dream Builders Project. Crockett was convicted of killing Don Langenderfer in 2004.

THE GRANT

RNM has been investigating the South Bend Alive Grant initiative for nearly 9 months now. According to the city’s website, the “Alive grant program is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to reduce incidents of gun violence in the community and provide constructive initiatives for South Bend’s young people.” The city gave 50 organizations these grants totaling $350,000. The Alive program is in its first year of operation and is run through the Department of Community Initiatives and its director Maurice Scott.

RNM obtained the applications, awards and other information about each of the grant awardees through a Freedom of Information Act request.

According to Crockett’s grant application, his organization is a career development environment where the obtainment of healthy; positive self-images, improved life skills, and creative cognitive processes can be gained. All of this would be accomplished through mentorships with the youth. You can view all of the documents including the award letter and application below.

THE MURDER

The details surrounding the murder committed by Crocket are horrifying. According to court records, Crockett and his cousin were drug dealers. They suspected one of their runners, Don Langenderfer, was stealing from them and talking to the police. So, the two made up a story that they had been in a police chase and had to ditch a bunch of drugs in the country. They convinced Langenderfer to help them search for the drugs off of a secluded country road. That’s where Crockett approached Langenderfer, shot him in the face and said he “blew Don’s face off” and he “got him good.”

You can view court documents outlining the murder and conspiracy to commit the murder below.

You can read a story about the victim of his murder in the archived South Bend Tribune snippet below.

RNM sent Mayor James Mueller, his communications staff and Alive Grant personnel the following email. We have not yet received a response.

Good afternoon,

I am publishing a story about a convicted murderer who received an Alive grant only 7-9 months after he was released from prison.

Antrone Crockett shot a father of 5 in the face, killing him in 2004. He then bragged about it later, according to court documents.

Does the City of South Bend have anything to say to the fatherless children he left behind?

Thank you,
Clifton French
REAL News Michiana

ONGOING CONCERNS

So far, RNM’s investigations into the Alive grant and its awardees have lead to the discovery of several potential criminal acts.

RNM uncovered a disturbing scheme in which one awardee, Justice for Michiana and its founder Vernado Malone, were taking and sharing nude photographs of the recently deceased at a local funeral home. You can read that story here.

Another awardee, Wright Chosen Ministries and its founder Lori Wright, is accused of taking food stamps from homeless families and selling them to a woman in Louisiana. You can read more about that story here.

RNM also uncovered alleged grant fraud, where city officials changed the name on a grant application to award thousands of dollars to the friend of the man in charge of the grant process, Director of Community Initiatives, Maurice Scott. You can read that story here.

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