Indiana pastor finds relief in arrest of suspect in pregnant wife's slaying
Two additional suspects, both young men in their early 20s, have been detained in conjunction with a related series of robberies, according to local sources.
This frame grab from surveillance video provided by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department shows a possible suspect walking in the neighborhood where an Indianapolis pastor's wife was shot. Police say Amanda Blackburn was shot in the head during an attack in her home on Nov. 10, 2015 and died the next day. She was 13 weeks pregnant.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department/AP
Two weeks after the killing of his pregnant wife, Pastor Davey Blackburn said he’s relieved that police have arrested a suspect between Sunday and Monday.
"Though it does not undo the pain we are feeling, I was extremely relieved to get the news of the arrest made last night of Amanda's killer," Mr. Blackburn said in statement. He expressed gratitude for the overnight arrest of 18-year-old Larry Taylor on a preliminary murder charge.
Amanda Blackburn was 13 weeks pregnant when an assailant invaded her home on Nov. 10. She was shot in the head, and the child did not survive. The couple’s older son, Weston, was home during the time of the attack but was not harmed. He is 15 months old.
Two additional suspects, both young men in their early 20s, have been taken into custody in conjunction with a related series of robberies in the area, sources close to the investigation told local news station Fox 59.
Blackburn had left early for the gym that morning, and discovered his wounded wife upon his return. He said investigators have told him they have a substantial case against Mr. Taylor.
I hope the justice system would have wisdom on how to prosecute this man, he said, “so that no one else endures the pain Amanda and our family have had to endure because of his actions."
Police said in a press release that the US Marshals had helped the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's gang and violent crime units in Taylor’s arrest.
Investigators have speculated the suspect may have seen Mr. Blackburn leave home at 6:10 a.m. to go to a gym, shortly after the suspect allegedly broke into a nearby house. Surveillance footage from at least three security cameras at other homes captured images of the suspect, which was then circulated to the public.
It is unclear what charges will be filed against Taylor.
"All victims of criminal homicides deserve closure, and as a community we must send a collective message that violence is not an option," Police Chief Rick Hite said in a statement. "Our detectives have worked tirelessly going days without sleep to solve murders in our city."
This report contains material from the Associated Press.