Second Suspect Arrested in Poker Player Matt Lushin Murder Case
Posted on: April 23, 2026, 05:33h.
Last updated on: April 23, 2026, 05:33h.
- Second man arrested over killing of poker player Matt Lushin
- Police say murder linked to $50,000 marijuana-related debt
- Encrypted messages and forensic evidence tie suspects to crime
A second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of the poker player James “Matt” Lushin, WRTV Indianapolis reports.
Justin Andrew Jones, 40, of Indianapolis, was arrested on Wednesday morning on charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and armed robbery.
Investigators believe he assisted Ronald Brown Jr. in killing Lushin in order to wipe out a drug debt, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Lushin’s body was found at his home in Westfield, Ind., on March 12. He had been shot multiple times in the back, authorities said.
The father of one was a much-loved player on the poker circuit, according to PokerNews, with more than $500K in gross tournament earnings. He was killed just two weeks after he cashed in a World Series of Poker Circuit event at the Horseshoe Hammond in northwest Indiana.
Drug Debt Motive
Brown was arrested on suspicion of murder on March 27. According to the affidavit, the suspect and the victim were partners in a marijuana operation, and Lushin had fronted Brown about $50K worth of product, leaving him with a substantial debt.
On the counter by Lushin’s body, officers found jars of marijuana that appeared to be in the process of being divided into vacuum-sealed bags.
In an outbuilding behind the property, police discovered an open safe containing 11 pounds of the drug in sealed packages, according to the affidavit.
Police identified a black Dodge Durango circling the poker player’s home several times on the day he died, which they allege had been rented by Brown at Indianapolis Airport.
Analysis of Lushin’s phone revealed that he communicated regularly with Brown, and when police raided his home they found baggies that matched those in Lushin’s safe.
They also found a Glock 26 under a chest of drawers that was loaded with ammunition of the brand and caliber used in the shooting.
Fingerprint on License Plate
Jones was identified as a possible accomplice because one of his fingerprints was found of the Durango’s license plate, which been covered with cardboard to conceal its identity, according to court documents.
Meanwhile, cell phone data pinpointed Jones at Brown’s Indianapolis home on the morning of the murder, and a vehicle registered to Jones’s girlfriend was captured picking up Brown at the airport after he returned the Durango.
Police also discovered encrypted messages between the two men in which they discussed showering and compiling an inventory of marijuana strains. This inventory corresponded to the marijuana later found in Lushin’s safe.
Brown has been charged with one count of murder.
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