Staff Report

SOUTH WHITLEY — Jayden Habegger, a recent Warsaw High School graduate was shot at a large party at a property in South Whitley after an altercation Saturday, June 14. He is in the intensive care unit at a Fort Wayne hospital.

Horacio Adrian Castro, 21, Goshen, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, a level 1 felony. He is being held in the Whitley County Jail on $250,000 surety bond.

According to a police report written by a detective with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, around 100 people, teens and young adults, were at the party Habegger attended. A fight involving a dozen or more people broke out after a confrontation about a previous alleged assault and then the shooting occurred.

Horacio Adrian Castro

Witnesses shared a video with investigators showing Habegger with his arms up, walking backwards and “appearing fearful and retreating” as a man and juvenile approached him.

Habegger made his way across the property to a ditch and remained there until law enforcement and paramedics arrived.

Habegger was taken to a hospital in Fort Wayne and has undergone multiple surgeries for his injuries. The bullet remains lodged in his hip and cannot be safely removed at this time.

His mother has started a GoFundMe page for medical expenses and shared on Wednesday, June 18, “Just wanted to share an update my son is out of surgery and currently stable. He’ll be in the ICU for the next two days so the medical team can keep a close eye on him.” The fund has received almost $10,000 in pledges as of Thursday, June 19.

Court Documents

Castro, who allegedly fired the shot that hit Habegger in the abdomen denies involvement in the shooting. During an interview with with detectives, Castro said, “(I) never had a gun.” He also said he was at his car when the shooting happened. 

According to a report made by Whitley County detectives, after the shooting, Castro and others who attended the party with him left and went to a Columbia City gas station. They waited for a family member to send them gas money and once they received it, they were said to be heading to Kendallville. The Noble County Sheriff’s Department Dispatch was given this information and dispersed to the Kendallville Police Department, who located the vehicle and detained those inside it.

During an interview with Maximus M. Byall, who was in the car with Castro and others, Byall gave his account of what happened at the party, including testimony that Castro “fired the shot.” Byall said after leaving the party, Castro threw the gun out of the passenger side back seat window while another person was driving the car.

After the interview, Byall said Castro changed his shirt and threw it out in the window sometime between leaving the party and arriving in Kendallville.