Oct. 17—GOSHEN — A man charged in a murder 20 years ago pled guilty to robbery during Elkhart County Superior Court 3 on Thursday.
Marcus J. Love is accused in a cold-case murder that occurred May 22, 2002. Police were called to the 600 block of Third Street, Elkhart, on that day. There, a neighbor had contacted the police to report Robert Reed was dead on the floor of his home.
The death was ruled a homicide, resulting from multiple injuries to the head and neck.
The case remained unsolved although several individuals were marked as possibly being involved through the investigation, until one witness claimed to police that Marcus J. Love, now 51, told them about the murder soon after it happened, claiming to have beaten Reed to death, according to a probable cause affidavit. Another witness reportedly told police Love would frequent Reed’s home to use drugs around the time of Reed’s death.
Blood samples collected at the home were reportedly found to be consistent with Love’s DNA. They also allegedly found DNA on Reed’s shirt at the time of his death and, according to investigators, confirmed it was from Reed himself and from Love.
During an interview in 2011, Love reportedly told police he didn’t know Reed, but that he saw him occasionally at Faith Mission. In an interview with police in 2021, Love initially denied being in Reed’s home and denied the altercation had occurred, but later admitted to frequenting the place, and said he couldn’t remember if he’d had an altercation with Reed, a probable cause affidavit reads. Love was charged with murder in August of 2022.
During Thursday’s hearing, Love pled guilty to Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, a Class A felony. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14.
DOMINIQUE J. EDWARDS
A man accused of attempting to kill his father received a continuance on his jury trial despite the court’s strong feelings against it.
Dominique J. Edwards is accused of shooting and injuring his father Anthony Shaw while at Shaw’s home along the 1600 block of Stevens Avenue in Elkhart on the night of Nov. 20, 2020, according to his charging affidavit. He faces charges of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony, and two misdemeanor counts of resisting law enforcement.
During last week’s status conference, Edwards was told he may not be able to make full use of any insanity defense because he didn’t cooperate with psychological evaluations that were court-ordered previously.
“I appointed doctors to evaluate you and you have done nothing but fail to cooperate,” Elkhart County Circuit Court Judge Michael Christofeno said.
While awaiting trial in the Elkhart County Jail, Edwards, according to officers at the jail, refused to attend two different evaluations. On Thursday, Christofeno expressed his frustrations with the notion that if approved, this would be Edwards’ third attempt to have psychological evaluations performed, as he didn’t attend other opportunities.
“A whole bunch of cases have been continued because this case was going to go to trial,” Christofeno said.
Defense attorney Christopher Petersen volunteered to be on-site during evaluations to ensure Edwards would attend, which didn’t help the matter in Christofeno’s eyes and trying to find a new date for the trial was a struggle due to other cases already anticipated for other possible trial dates.
As an insanity defense has been filed in the case, Edwards must undergo insanity evaluations in order to present insanity as such. Christofeno told the court that on one occasion, Edwards went to take a shower instead of going to his insanity defense evaluation, and refused to continue the trial. Edwards said jail staff never came and got him.
According to a probable cause affidavit, while visiting the home, witnesses said Edwards grabbed a pillow, went to Shaw’s bedroom and fired a gun through the pillow at him, the affidavit reads. Prior to the shooting, witnesses described Edwards as acting strangely and possibly being on drugs, the affidavit reads.
Shaw, who was shot in the leg and abdomen, told police Edwards said something to the effect of, “Sorry, Pops, but I have to kill you,” before he opened fire, according to details in the probable cause affidavit in the case.
Another man at the house told police, according to the affidavit, he then tackled Edwards, knocking the gun out of his hand. The man said he fought Edwards and chased him out of the house, according to the affidavit.
Edwards was located and arrested in December 2020 after an Elkhart officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of Morehouse Avenue to investigate a report of suspicious activity, the affidavit shows.
Edwards was ordered to undergo evaluation and the jury trial was rescheduled from Nov. 4 to Feb. 3. Christofeno told Edwards that if he refused to comply, he would go to court with the single insanity evaluation he did cooperate with, and he would not be permitted to present his own insanity evaluation.
TYREN T. ALLEN
Tyren T. Allen pled guilty to his part in the 2021 death of Elkhart teen Deontae Harris during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Allen was picked up Feb. 13 for a theft at Walmart on Nov. 16, 2023. The misdemeanor theft was the lowest of his charges. After he was arrested, Allen was held to testify in the murder trial of Sherman Whitener that same month. Whitener was found guilty in the July, 8, 2021, murder and sentenced to 63 years in prison in April.
It’s alleged that Allen harbored or assisted Whitener in the murder of Harris when he took something from Harris’ body following the shooting. Police believe it was a gun. Allen said during the trial that it was a phone or keys but couldn’t remember, but the driver of the vehicle Harris was in said his phone and his keys were both left in his car.
Allen is charged with assisting a criminal who assisted in or committed murder, a Level 5 felony; and obstruction of justice, a Level 6 Felony.
He’s facing up to six years in prison plus possible enhancements due to prior criminal history. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14
DAKEVION SPEARMON
An Elkhart teenager pled guilty to an armed robbery charge Thursday.
Dakevion Spearmon, 17, is accused of an armed robbery that took place at a gas station in Elkhart on Dec. 23.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the victim reported a man followed him as he was returning to his car at Marathon Gas Station, 3901 S. Main St., Elkhart, at 11:50 p.m. and asked him for a dollar, which he gave, but then the man pulled out a handgun and demanded his wallet.
At River Run Apartments, police identified possible witnesses, and the victim was shown still photos from the store’s security video and identified Dakevion Spearmon, 18, giving a light brown Sig Sauer BB gun to another man who is seen in the video pointing the gun at the victim before the victim dropped his wallet and took off, the affidavit reads.
A group of young men who had been together before then surrounded the area, and left together toward the apartment complex, where police later located them. Spearmon was reportedly found with the victim’s credit card, ID and a gift card with the victim’s name on it.
Spearmon was set to be released, having already served the sentence per plea agreement.
MARKEESE D. HUNTER
An Elkhart man accused of robbing a bank in Elkhart last week had an initial hearing Thursday.
Markeese D. Hunter, 31, is accused of robbing First Source Bank, 131 E. Franklin St., Elkhart, on Feb. 6.
Elkhart City 911 Communications Center received notification of a robbery in progress at the 1st Source Bank at 9:06 a.m. that day. The caller reported a man in a wheelchair entered the bank and presented a note demanding money. The employee complied, and the man left the building.
EPD officers dispatched and detained a man matching the suspect’s description in the 100 block of East Franklin Street minutes later. The man was identified as Hunter, who became paralyzed after being shot outside a mini-mart in South Bend in July 2013.
Officers found the money allegedly taken during the robbery on the suspect’s person and Hunter was arrested and taken into custody without incident.
Hunter pleaded guilty to robbery, a Level 5 felony. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 14.
KANE TRUMAN
A man accused of stealing from his then-girlfriend was sentenced during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Police were called to the 57000 block of Tower Road in Elkhart for burglary on July 26, 2023.
The victim claimed she and her boyfriend Kane Truman had gotten into a fight at his house and she had walked to the area on Tower Road where her camper was parked to find Truman’s Jeep parked outside, and he quickly drove away.
The camper had been broken into and her Chromebook was missing. There was also a screwdriver stabbed into her countertop and next to a crystal rock, both of which she claimed were Truman’s.
Later that day, the woman said Truman returned to her camper and gave her back several items including her computer, a duffle bag and a toolbox. On Aug. 3, Truman admitted to police that he’d broken into the camper and taken the items because he’d believed she’d taken things from his apartment.
Truman pleaded guilty to Burglary, a Level 5 felony. He was sentenced to three years suspended, with two on reporting probation and one on good behavior.
MELVIN JOHNSON
A man appeared in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday for a burglary, accused of overstaying his welcome.
Melvin Johnson, 66, was arrested Oct. 8 after allegedly breaking into a home in the 200 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Elkhart.
The homeowner told police he’d returned home to find the deadbolt and door knob to his home locked, only he doesn’t lock the door knob due to having a key for the deadbolt. His lawnmower which had previously been sitting on the enclosed porch was also missing, and a window to his home was removed.
Officers peered into the home and found Johnson inside standing in the living room and ordered him to let them in, which he did. The homeowner told police he knew Johnson and had permitted him to stay with him for one night due to the rain, but that was several days prior.
Police noted the lawnmower was inside against the back door, the television in the bedroom was playing an adult movie and lights were on in the room. There was also food on the table in the kitchen and the stove had one burner running. The homeowner claimed Johnson had left his lights on and eaten some of the lunch meat which had been moved from the fridge to the kitchen table. The homeowner said the only way Johnson could have gotten into the home was through the window that was removed.
During court proceedings, Johnson was provided with upcoming hearing dates and provided a public defender. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Oct. 14, trial status conference Feb. 20, and jury trial March 17.
Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.
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