Indianapolis police arrested a teen and a 21-year-old Monday in the murder of Amanda Blackburn, a pregnant mother and wife of a preacher who was shot and killed in a home invasion, authorities said.
Larry Taylor, 18, of Indianapolis was initially charged with murder in the shooting, Sgt. Kendale Adams of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said, but Marion County prosecutors will decide on final charges.
A charging document — which the prosecutor’s spokeswoman, Peg McLeish, said is in the process of being filed with the courts — states that Taylor will face two counts of murder, murder while in the commission or attempted commission of one of a host of other crimes, burglary resulting in serious bodily injury, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of burglary, criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, three counts of theft of property valued between $750 and $50,000, auto theft and carrying a handgun without a license. All but the last charge are felonies.
Later Monday, Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced a second arrest in the murder. Jalen Watson, 21, of Indianapolis faces the same charges as Taylor, with the exceptions that his charging document mentions only two murder charges, where Taylor’s includes three, and there are no charges for criminal confinement or carrying a handgun without a license.
Detectives from the IMPD’s violent crimes unit worked with the gangs unit and federal marshals to take Taylor in. IMPD Chief Rick Hite praised the cooperation that led to the arrest.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly, going days without sleep, to solve murders in our city. With the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler and Prosecutor Terry Curry justice will be done!” he said in a statement.
A promise
The arrests came 10 days after top police officials vowed in no uncertain terms to bring the killer to justice.
“We’re coming to get you,” Hite said at a November 13 news conference.
His assistant commander of investigations, Maj. Eric Hench, also promised results: “To the individual that committed this crime, you are not as good as you think you are. You left behind evidence. We will find it. We have found it. We will find you and we will not stop until we get you.”
Police were called to the Blackburns’ home on the morning of November 10 and found Amanda Blackburn, who had been shot, an IMPD news release said.
“When officers arrived, they located the victim at the home, unresponsive, and suffering from apparent signs of trauma,” the release said.
She was taken to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, where she died the following day.
Amanda Blackburn, 28, was married to Resonate Church Pastor Davey Blackburn and was pregnant when she died, according to a statement from her husband that recounted how a gunman critically wounded his wife and “the next day Amanda and her unborn daughter, Everette ‘Evie’ Grace Blackburn, passed away as a result of her injuries.”
One of the family’s representatives, Suzanne Swift, told CNN that Amanda Blackburn was 13 weeks pregnant.
‘Everything inside of me wants to hate’
The couple’s 1-year-old son, Weston, was home when the shooting occurred. He was unharmed. Davey Blackburn, 30, discovered his wife after returning from the gym that morning, the couple’s church said.
The Blackburns moved to Indianapolis in 2012 to start Resonate Church, and “Amanda made it her life’s calling to love and serve everyone she knew. Even more, she has made it her life’s mission to see as many people as possible come to know Jesus as their personal Savior,” a statement said.
Following news of Monday’s arrests, Davey Blackburn commended the IMPD’s compassion and professionalism, and he put forth three hopes he has for the case: that the courts have the “wisdom on how to prosecute this man,” that the perpetrator faces “great consequences” for his crimes and experiences the “life-transforming power” of Jesus’ mercy and grace, and “that Jesus would give me and our family a heart of forgiveness.”
Davey Blackburn further said police had ensured him that they have a “solidly built case” against the suspect.
“Though everything inside of me wants to hate, be angry, and slip into despair I choose the route of forgiveness, grace and hope,” Davey Blackburn said in his statement. “If there is one thing I’ve learned from Amanda in the 10 years we were together, it’s this: Choosing to let my emotions drive my decisions is recipe for a hopeless and fruitless life. Today I am deciding to love, not hate.”
