Varvel: They killed his father. Then he forgave them.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” - Luke 23:34

Tim Streett was 15 years old, shoveling snow in his family's driveway, on the night 40 years ago when he saw his father shot and killed in a robbery turned murder.

Sitting a block away in a getaway car, Don Cox had no idea of what had happened until Michael Daniels, the shooter, and an accomplice, Kevin Edmonds, jumped into his car with Tim Streett's wallet. Inside was $1. 

But this isn't a story about murder and its devastating aftermath. It's a story rather about how one man was able to forgive the three men who took his father's life.

A few weeks after 43-year-old Allan Streett was killed, Indianapolis police arrested all three suspects. Edmonds, who testified against the other two, received a 10-year sentence. Daniels was sentenced to death. In 2005, Gov. Joseph Kernan granted clemency, commuting his sentence to life in prison. 

Cox, 20 years old at the time, was sentenced to 90 years in prison. 

For years after his father's death, Tim Streett's life spiraled downward. In college he abused drugs and alcohol. “My life kind of got real mixed up,” he said. “I had kicked God out of my life."

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Streett wandered the country working as a bartender and waiter and eventually took a job in restaurant management. After work one night, Streett hit his lowest point while driving home. Bruce Springsteen’s song “I’m on Fire,” was playing on the radio: “Sometimes it’s like someone took a knife all edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul.” 

“That was exactly what I felt,” Streett said. “I pulled over to the side of the road and prayed to God to take me back. I recommitted my life to him.” 

Streett quit his job the next day, moved back to Indianapolis, went to seminary, met and married his wife Stacy and moved to Chicago to work with urban youth in a ministry focused on racial reconciliation. 

In 1995, Streett wrote a letter to Daniels, stating, “I have come to believe that my forgiveness should not be contingent on any action on your part… I do forgive you for the death of my father.” 

Daniels has never responded.

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Don Cox, meanwhile, was going through his own changes in prison. Upon arriving, he got into trouble. He was angry. “I never killed anyone," Cox said. "I wasn’t at the scene, didn’t even hear the shot and I got 90 years.”   

“I was never a violent person before...But in prison, you got the predator and you got the prey," Cox said. "And I wasn’t going to be victimized.”

An older inmate told Cox that if he didn’t change his attitude, he would die in prison. He told Cox to get an education while in prison and to prepare for life on the outside.

Cox thought hard about the inmate's words and he began to change. Although he had denied involvement in the crime, he finally confessed the truth to his family. He began attending Bible studies led by visiting pastors. He got his GED, took college courses and attained an associate and bachelor’s degree in history. He learned several trades, got a job working in the auto shop and became a foreman.

Then one day, Bishop D.K. Jones told Cox, “The Lord spoke to me and said you’re going to get out of here, but it’s not going to be in the usual way. When it happens, you will know that God did this.” 

Cox thought the bishop was crazy. 

Soon after, he received a letter from Tim Streett, saying that he forgave Cox for his part in the death of his father. Cox wrote back and asked Streett to visit him at Pendleton Correctional Facility. 

"I wanted to tell Tim that I was sorry and for him to know that that was not a plan of mine (the shooting) even though I was involved, I regretted that it had happened," Cox said.

"When we met, I apologized and he hugged me and said, 'Don, I accept your apology and I want you to know that you don't have to say that again.'"

“I already believed in God," Cox said. "But Tim confirmed for me that God is real."

Streett began a letter writing campaign to get Cox's sentence reduced. He wrote the judge. He also wrote and met with former Marion County Prosecutor Stephen Goldsmith, who had become Indianapolis’ mayor. 

“When I arrived at my sentencing hearing," Cox said. "Tim was already in the courtroom,” The judge commuted Cox's sentence to 23 years. 

"I never in a million years thought that Tim would be instrumental in my release," Cox said. "But Tim's love of Christ was the reason that he did it. When that happened I remembered what D.K. Jones said was true. God did get me out."  

After Cox's release, Streett helped him get a job at Palmer Dodge. And later, a job at Carrier. Street bought Cox a riding lawnmower to start a landscaping business. And Street also was instrumental in getting Cox a job at Wishard Hospital, encouraging  gunshot victims to change their lifestyle. 

The power of forgiveness worked in both men's lives. "I don't think the healing in my own life would have happened if I hadn't come to know Don," Street said. 

Today, Tim Streett is the assistant director of Shepherd Community. Don Cox recently married and moved to Chicago.

Both of them suffered loss that night in 1978. Tim lost his father. Don lost his freedom. But forgiveness was the key that set both of them free.

In these deeply divided times, America sure could use that kind of supernatural power.

Contact Varvel at gary.varvel@indystar.com.  Friend him on Facebook at Gary Varvel and follow him on Twitter: @varvel.