Indiana businesswoman Amber Tower who pocketed $20,000 from murdered teen Bryce Gerlach’s memorial shirts gets 30 days in jail

“ALL THE PROCEEDS WILL GO TO HIS FAMILY”!!! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AUTHORITIES SAY AMBER TOWER RAISED OVER TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS SELLING MEMORIAL SHIRTS FOR A MURDERED HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER AND KEPT THE MONEY… AND SHE HAS NOW BEEN SENTENCED TO JAIL.

In October 2024, 18-year-old Bryce Gerlach was shot and killed at the Harvest Homecoming festival in New Albany, Indiana.

Gerlach was a student and football player at Corydon Central High School.

Following his death, a business owner began selling memorial T-shirts.

Amber Tower, the owner of Tower’s Tees, announced on Facebook that she would sell shirts in Gerlach’s honor.

Tower announced that she would donate the proceeds from the shirt sales to his family.

The shirts were made in blue, Gerlach’s favorite color.

The apparel read, “Forever in Our Hearts.”

From October 14 through October 25, 2024, Tower made $20,193 from the shirt sales.

A local print shop also donated the ink used to produce the shirts.

That donated ink would have normally cost approximately $1,500 to $1,600.

The print shop contributed after Tower represented that 100% of the proceeds would go to the Bryce Gerlach Memorial Scholarship Fund.

But despite the fundraiser, Gerlach’s family never received the promised money.

Then the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation.

Court documents initially indicated Tower owed the family more than $13,000.

Tower was charged with one count of conversion.

She later pleaded guilty.

On August 28, 2026, Tower was sentenced to 30 days in jail followed by five months of probation.

She was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution.

And she was ordered to complete community service.