A 41-year-old Indianapolis man has been charged with murder and neglect after authorities say he strangled his 5-year-old daughter, Zara Arnold, during a domestic argument with his girlfriend.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), Zachary Arnold initially called 911 on the morning of May 19 to report that his daughter was not breathing. He first claimed she had fallen down the stairs. However, during questioning, police say Arnold confessed to fatally choking his daughter following a heated dispute with his girlfriend, Andrea Lopez-Figueroa.
Lopez-Figueroa later confirmed to detectives that the couple had been fighting the night before and stated that she witnessed Arnold choking the child via FaceTime. Court documents reveal that Arnold sent disturbing messages and images to Lopez-Figueroa during the attack, including a photo of Zara foaming at the mouth and a video of him swinging the child with a makeshift noose.
Despite witnessing the ongoing abuse, Lopez-Figueroa did not contact authorities. She later told investigators she was afraid of Arnold and initially believed he was “just playing.” At one point, Arnold reportedly told her to call 911, saying he was going to hurt Zara, but she still did not seek help.
Emergency responders found Zara unresponsive, covered in bruises, and cold to the touch at Arnold’s home on North Lasalle Street. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators found multiple disturbing videos on Lopez-Figueroa’s phone, some dating back to April, showing Arnold violently abusing his daughter. In one video from the night of her death, he is seen swinging Zara by a noose and hanging her behind his back. Detectives noted that the girl appeared alive in those recordings.
Lopez-Figueroa is now facing charges of assisting a criminal and failure to report abuse. A warrant has been issued for her arrest.
Arnold, who has a history of violent behavior, including a 2020 rape charge that was later dismissed in a plea deal and multiple violations of protective orders filed by Zara’s mother, had been sentenced to jail time just a week prior—but the sentence was suspended, allowing him to remain free.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office has ruled Zara’s death a homicide caused by multiple blunt force injuries. Prosecutors say they will seek life in prison without parole for Arnold. He is currently being held without bond at the Adult Detention Center, and further charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
In a police interview, Arnold reportedly blamed his girlfriend for the tragedy, saying, “She did this to me,” and accused her of making him “look like a monster.”
