Thursday, January 3rd, 2013
Suspect in Rockford murder apprehended
Law enforcement captures Martin in Fort Wayne
By Margie Wuebker
Rockford resident Daniel C. Martin, wanted in connection with the Nov. 8 shooting death of his live-in girlfriend Melinda "Mindi" Shinn, is being held in the Allen County Jail in Fort Wayne, Ind., and faces an extradition hearing today.
The 40-year-old man was arrested in Fort Wayne shortly before noon Wednesday. Federal marshals stormed the residence where he had been staying and reportedly found him taking a shower.
"He was taken into custody without incident," Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey told The Daily Standard. "Thankfully, no one was hurt in the process."
The armed agents, along with Mercer County Sheriff's Detective Chad Fortkamp, located an AK-47 assault rifle in the home. Another man at the home was arrested on an unrelated misdemeanor warrant.
Martin could be brought back to Mercer County soon if he chooses not to fight extradition. Otherwise, the legal process could take 60 to 90 days.
Grand jurors in Mercer County returned a multi-count indictment against Martin in December, but the specific charges will not be released until he is served the court paperwork.
Grey said an investigation is continuing to determine whether Martin had assistance in eluding authorities. Additionally, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is looking into ownership of the assault rifle.
Rockford Police Chief Paul May found the body of 26-year-old Shinn when he went to her home at 509 W. North St. on Nov. 8 in response to a telephone call from a concerned relative. The couple reportedly had been fighting.
An arrest warrant for Martin was issued that same day. His vehicle was found abandoned in Fort Wayne, where he reportedly has relatives and friends.
The investigation was handled by the sheriff's office and U.S. Marshals. The federal agency posted a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Martin.
The sheriff indicated investigators received calls with information about Martin's possible whereabouts and a new cell phone number. Grey had no information about the status of the reward.
"This fugitive investigation was one of our top priorities, and we immediately added Martin to our most wanted 'Dangerous Dozen' list," said Andrew Deserto, assistant chief deputy of the marshal service's Northern Ohio District. "Thanks to the great teamwork with the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals in Fort Wayne, we were able to safely bring this dangerous fugitive into custody and remove another deadly weapon from the hands of a criminal."
