Today, I got off the phone with Jack Vawter, a grieving mother carrying the kind of pain no one should ever have to endure. Jack is the mother of Iris and Ares Vawter, the two young children who were tragically killed in a fiery car crash in Hendricks County back in February. The crash, which involved a stolen vehicle driven by S’Doni Pettis, left a deep and lasting scar on Jack’s family.
This morning, that wound was torn open again.
Jack shared with me the devastating news that the man fatally shot by Hendricks County Sheriff’s deputies at the courthouse in Danville earlier today was none other than her grandfather—Mark Vawter, the great-grandfather of Iris and Ares.
Through tears, Jack explained that her grandfather had been battling serious health issues for nearly a decade. Mark had been diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare and progressive neurological disorder that gradually affects the body’s autonomic functions. The disease left him in a constant state of vertigo, struggling with balance and speech. Despite these physical challenges, his mind remained sharp. Jack described him as having a good heart, though sometimes that goodness was “misplaced.”
According to Mark’s son, the disease had taken a heavy toll on Mark’s quality of life. “He was all there mentally. He had goodness in his heart, just misplaced at times.”
The weight of his declining health, combined with the unimaginable grief of losing his great-grandchildren, may have become too much to bear.
Mark lived in Plainfield. Today, his car was found parked outside the Danville courthouse, prompting questions about his intentions. Authorities are currently waiting on a search warrant to see whether he may have left a note behind.
Jack said she doesn’t know why her grandfather went to the courthouse. She acknowledged it’s possible he may have been there to confront S’Doni Pettis, the man who had been scheduled for a court appearance at 1 p.m. in connection to the crash that took the lives of her children. Pettis was allegedly speeding in a stolen car when he crashed and caused the deadly accident. However, that hearing had been rescheduled—something Mark might not have known.
Jack also considered another tragic possibility: that her grandfather may have been attempting “suicide by cop.”
Indiana State Police have now confirmed that Mark pointed a gun at officers and fired at least one shot before deputies returned fire. It remains unclear whether Mark said anything before the shooting or what exactly led to the confrontation. The investigation is still ongoing.
In the face of all this heartbreak, Jack pleaded for compassion and understanding. “Please give my grandfather grace,” she said softly. “It is just a lot. This is so unexpected.”
Her words reflect the immense, compounding grief that has engulfed her family. Two children lost to a senseless crash. A grandfather taken in a violent confrontation. A family left grasping for meaning in the wreckage.
What remains is pain, confusion, and a wish that the world might pause long enough to acknowledge the depth of their suffering—and offer some semblance of peace.
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