Cold case murder from 2002 solved with DNA, suspect charged

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- A man has been charged in the 2002 murder of Robert Reed after an officer taking a look at the cold case noticed something others had missed in the crime scene photos, according to court records.

On May 22, 2002, Elkhart Police responded to the 600 block of S. 3rd Street after a neighbor called police. The neighbor said it was unusual to see the door of the home open, and when she went inside the residence, she found Robert Reed dead on the floor.

Police said there was a large amount of blood under his head and there was a large cut to the right side of his face, above his right eye.

Reed's right eye was swollen and his head was misshapen, police said.

Police also located blood stains on the kitchen and bathroom floors as well as on the inside deadbolt of the front door. In the bedroom, the furniture was moved around like there had been a struggle.

An autopsy found Reed died as a result of multiple injuries to his head and neck and his manner of death was homicide.

In 2021, a witness spoke with police and said Marcus J. Love had talked about the murder soon after it happened and allegedly admitted to beating Reed to death, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The witness said they saw cuts on Love's fingers and blood on his clothes during the conversation, reports said.

Another witness told police Love sometimes went to Reed's residence to use drugs around the time Reed was killed, reports said.

Blood samples taken from the kitchen floor, bathroom floor and deadbolt were consistent with the DNA of Marcus Love, according to the probable cause affidavit.

In 2021, Sergeant Greg Harder reviewed the evidence in the case and noticed there was an area of blood stain on the back of Reed's shirt that appeared to have dropped onto the shirt from above while Reed was on the floor. Reed's wallet had been removed from his pants after he was lying face down on the floor, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Additional DNA tests were requested involving Reed's shirt. In 2022, a partial DNA profile was found on the shirt that was a mixture of two people. The DNA came back with Love and Reed as contributors to the blood stain.

Love was interviewed in 2011 and 2021. In 2011, Love denied knowing Reed, but said he saw him occasionally at the Faith Mission.

In 2021, Love initially denied being inside Reed's residence, but later admitted he was in the home frequently, reports said.

Love denied being in an altercation with Reed, but the later said he couldn't remember whether he ever had an altercation with Reed, court documents said.

Love was charged with one count of murder in August of 2022.

Sgt. Harder received a commendation for his work on the case during the Board of Public Safety meeting.