SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Derrick Pratcher, 35, has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murder of Robert Pulliam Jr., 63, a security guard who was fatally shot in a South Bend parking garage nearly two years ago.
The incident took place on March 5, 2023, at the Wayne Street parking garage, where Pratcher was allegedly loitering around city vehicles. When security guard Pulliam approached him and asked him to leave, he reportedly began calling 911 for assistance. In response, Pratcher pulled a handgun from his satchel and shot Pulliam in the head. Pulliam was pronounced dead at the scene.
As part of a plea agreement, Pratcher’s charges for unlawful carrying of a handgun are expected to be dismissed. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, with a sentencing range of 45-65 years for the murder charge.
