A $50K marijuana debt. A Glock 26. A grieving friend winning $273,000 while playing through heartbreak. The full story of the case that has stunned the Indianapolis poker community.
This is one of those stories where the facts hit harder than any fiction. On the afternoon of March 12, 2026, a welfare check at a house on Westfield Road in Indianapolis revealed the body of James "Matt" Lushin, 47 — a respected poker player with over $500,000 in live cashes, a father, a real estate investor, and a widely-loved member of the Indianapolis poker community. He had been shot multiple times in his kitchen. On the counter were Mason jars of marijuana someone had been packing into pouches. What followed has been a six-week investigation into a $50,000 drug debt, a rental-car cover-up, and a second arrest that came down in the last 24 hours. Here's the full story as it stands.
A Kokomo High School graduate who traveled the world competing in poker tournaments. Known for his humor and engaging personality. Remembered as an "outstanding father" to his son, Leighton. A beloved figure in the Indianapolis poker community.
A second suspect, Justin A. Jones, 40, of Indianapolis, was arrested on April 22, 2026. Westfield Police served the arrest and search warrant at around 6:45 a.m. at a residence in the 1900 block of Breman Lane in Indianapolis. Jones faces preliminary charges in the case. The Hamilton Superior Court 5 issued the arrest warrant on Friday. Authorities have not released full details about his alleged role, but his arrest significantly expands the scope of the investigation.
Officially charged with one count of murder by the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office. Currently held in Hamilton County Jail without bond. Police believe Brown killed Lushin to eliminate a ~$50,000 marijuana debt. According to the probable cause affidavit, Brown and Lushin had communicated regularly through the encrypted Signal app, and Brown had paid Lushin $17,900 through CashApp between January 2025 and March 2026. Those payments abruptly stopped on March 5, 2026 — just seven days before the murder.
Brown declined to answer any questions about the murder when taken into custody.
Arrested within the past 24 hours at a residence on Breman Lane in Indianapolis. Westfield police said evidence gathered during the ongoing investigation linked Jones to the case. He faces preliminary charges. Full details of his alleged role have not yet been released by authorities. Formal charges are expected to follow.
The Brown arrest came together through a combination of digital evidence, physical evidence, and surveillance work. What investigators assembled in just 15 days is a compact case study in modern homicide investigation:
Analysis of Lushin's phone revealed regular communication with Brown via the encrypted messaging app.
$17,900 in payments from Brown to Lushin over 14 months, abruptly stopping March 5, 2026 — 7 days before the murder.
A Dodge Durango seen near the scene was traced back to Brown through Indianapolis airport rental desk footage.
Found under a chest of drawers in Brown's home. Loaded with ammunition consistent with the brand and caliber used to kill Lushin.
Brown's home contained vacuum-sealed bags matching those in Lushin's safe, with identical heat-seal patterns.
A piece of cardboard — believed used to obscure the Durango's license plate — was recovered along a road Brown's vehicle had traveled.
Brown sends Lushin $17,900 over 14 months through CashApp — consistent, according to investigators, with an ongoing marijuana supply arrangement.
The last CashApp payment from Brown to Lushin is sent. No further payments occur. Investigators later describe the outstanding debt as "substantial" — court documents and reporting put the figure around $50,000.
A friend sees Lushin's body through the back door of his Westfield home after he misses an appointment. At 7:27 p.m., Westfield Police arrive at the 3900 block of Westfield Road. Lushin is found in the kitchen, shot multiple times in the back. Mason jars of marijuana are on the counter. In an outbuilding, police discover a heavy-gauge safe containing approximately 11 pounds of marijuana in sealed packaging. The Westfield Police Chief later notes this was the first homicide in Westfield in roughly 7-8 years.
Investigators initially classify the death as "suspicious" before reclassifying it as a homicide as evidence accumulates.
Grise's fellow poker friends had deliberately kept the news from him during a PokerGO Cup final table so he could focus. After the event, they break the news. Grise had already finished 2nd in the first $10K NLH — $141,000.
Playing through grief, Grise finishes runner-up in a second consecutive $10,000 PokerGO Cup event for an additional ~$132,000. Total for the two final tables: roughly $273,000. Gives a tearful PokerNews interview honoring his late friend.
A Mass of Christian Burial is held at the Arc Catholic Church in Kokomo, Indiana to honor Lushin's life.
After surveilling Brown around Indianapolis, police raid his home on Butler Avenue. Brown is taken into custody and transferred to Hamilton County Jail without bond. He declines to answer any questions about the murder.
The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office formally files one count of murder against Brown. The lengthy probable cause affidavit details the evidence trail and names the ~$50,000 debt as the likely motive.
Westfield Police serve an arrest and search warrant at 6:45 a.m. at a residence on Breman Lane in Indianapolis. Jones, 40, is taken into custody on preliminary charges. The Hamilton Superior Court 5 issued the warrant on Friday. Case expands.
It matters to tell the story of who Lushin was, not just how he died. In the poker world he was known as a dedicated tournament grinder who traveled internationally to compete:
His obituary describes him as an "outstanding father" to his son Leighton, someone who "exceeded in fatherhood and strived to be a model parent." Friends remember his humor, warmth, and ability to light up a room.
The emotional center of the story isn't in a courtroom. It's the story of Ben Grise, fellow Indianapolis poker player and close friend of Lushin, who went on one of the most bittersweet heaters in recent poker memory.
Grise was already deep in a PokerGO Cup $10,000 NLH event at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas when Lushin was killed. His poker friends deliberately kept the news from him until the final table concluded, knowing the emotional weight would crush his focus. Grise finished 2nd for ~$141,000.
Only after the event did his friends tell him what had happened. Devastated, he entered the next day's $10,000 PokerGO Cup event anyway. He had to briefly get up from the table to process the news. He finished 2nd again — ~$132,000 more. Two runner-up finishes in consecutive days. Roughly $273,000 combined. All while grieving.
"You always knew you could hang out with him and he'd put a smile on your face. It was tough to find that out after the first final table yesterday, I found out. But all of our poker friends kept it from me the whole time because they knew trying to carry all that emotion at the table would be hard for me to focus." — Ben Grise, speaking through tears to PokerNews after his second runner-up finish
Grise described Lushin as a "funny guy" he could count on to lift his spirits on breaks during tough tournament runs. The Grise sub-story has become one of the most-shared pieces of the case in the poker community.
Poker-player deaths unfortunately aren't rare. But the Lushin case has drawn wider attention than most for several reasons:
A few developments to watch:
This case is a reminder — especially for poker players who keep significant cash at home or who extend informal credit in their circles — that the intersection of cash-heavy lifestyles and private debts can be dangerous. Even without illegal activity, carrying large amounts of cash and having people know you carry cash creates risk. Use banks, use bankroll-management tools, and be careful about who knows about your winnings.
For anyone grieving through this story — whether you knew Matt or just followed the community — remember that Ben Grise's story is a reminder that it's okay to be broken and still keep playing. Poker doesn't stop the world from breaking your heart. But sometimes, it gives you somewhere to put the pain.
The Matt Lushin murder case is still developing — a second arrest came down in the last 24 hours. One man is held on murder charges over an alleged $50,000 debt. A grieving friend cashed for $273,000 playing through heartbreak. The poker community lost a good one. Rest easy, Matt.