Dair’Reyon Alexander: Missing Fort Wayne Teen Found Dead in Ditch

Dair’Reyon Alexander was a 15-year-old boy living in Fort Wayne, Indiana who was reported missing and tragically found dead in a ditch days later, submerged in two feet of water. Police are investigating what happened to the boy.

Alexander was reported missing March 5, 2021, according to Indiana State Police. An autopsy was conducted on the boy’s body, but it was not immediately clear how he died. The cause and manner of his death is pending further investigation, according to the Allen County Coroner.

A social media profile associated with Alexander says he lived with his mom, dad and sister. His mom owns a daycare and his dad works in construction. Alexander’s next-of-kin was notified after his body was identified.

Here’s what you need to know:

A Worker in the Area Discovered the Teen’s Body in a Drainage Ditch, Partially Submerged in Water

A person working in the area of Paulding and Meyer roads in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, discovered the body of Alexander, according to WPTA 21. The body was in a drainage ditch, submerged in about two feet of water, according to Michael Burris, Chief Investigator with the Allen County Coroner’s Office.

The coroner’s office was able to identify the teen as Alexander, who had been reported missing four days earlier. The tragic discovery was made at about 11 a.m. Monday, March 9, 2021, and the coroner’s office was notified. The body was located “at the bottom of the ditch,” a press release from the coroner said.

An autopsy was completed, but it will take further investigation and testing to determine how the boy died, and why his body was in the ditch, Burris said. The Allen County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Allen County Coroner’s Office are working together on the investigation.

Workers had been in the area a few days before Alexander’s body was discovered, and they did not report seeing anything at the time, Captain Steve Stone of the Allen County Sheriff’s Department told Fort Wayne’s NBC. The news outlet described the location of the teen’s body as “near a culvert.”

“The workers were here Thursday and they didn’t see it then. So we don’t know if it was, the body was placed here, or the guy just had a heart attack… we don’t have any idea as of how the body got here. But it looks like it may not have been here Thursday and it is today,” he said.

Alexander Loved to Read With His Sister & His Favorite Subjects Were Writing, English & Business

Alexander wrote about his family on a social media profile. He said he had a mom who owns a daycare and makes baby dolls, a dad who painted houses and worked in construction, and a sister. The siblings enjoyed time together reading. His favorite subjects in school were writing, English and business, he wrote.

His middle school teacher, Chad Thompson of Portage Middle School, shared a video of the boy dancing.

“My stomach has been hurting after hearing the news,” he wrote. “It was a blessing to have you at Portage, DairReyon Alexander! RIP!”

His mom also shared the video, posting a broken heart.

“Just wanna tell you i love you,” wrote another loved one.

He was reported missing Friday, March 5, and his body was found four days later, according to a missing persons bulletin from Indiana State Police. Officials told WANE 15 News foul play was not suspected.

The coroner’s full statement said:

The Allen County Coroner’s Office was contacted on Monday March 8, 2021 at about 1100 hours, and notified of the discovery of a deceased person in a ditch near Paulding Road and Meyer Road. The decedent was located partially submerged in about 2 feet of water, at the
bottom of the ditch.

The deceased has been positively identified as Darirreyon Alexander, male black 15 years of age, from Fort Wayne. An autopsy has been completed and the next of kin has been notified of the death.

The Cause and Manner of Death are both pending further investigation and testing.

This incident is being investigated by the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Allen County Coroner’s Office.

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