Merrillville Police arrested four people Wednesday night on weapons charges and said they are possible suspects in the shooting death of 55-year-old Cecil Pendleton Jr,. at an apartment complex on the town’s north end that morning.
Merrillville Police Chief Joseph Petruch also announced that the police department is offering a $10,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the early-morning homicide at the Tan Tar A apartments, saying police still need help from the public to solve the crime.
Police believe people were breaking into cars at the apartment complex on East 58th Avenue, just north of Andrean High School, when they targeted Pendleton, an Air Force veteran and father of three adult children, as he was walking toward his vehicle to go to work shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Pendleton was shot while inside his work van and died a short time later at Methodist Hospitals South Campus, police said.
The four suspects were arrested and three handguns were seized in the vicinity of the homicide scene and at a local hotel, according to the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force. The four are being held at the Lake County Jail and Lake County Juvenile Center, with various charges pending, police said.
According to Task Force spokesman Robert Byrd, Merrillville police received a 911 call reporting shots fired at 5:08 a.m. Wednesday and found Pendleton shot inside the van, with the windows shot out.
Byrd said the victim lived with his girlfriend at the apartment complex.
He said some witnesses said they saw people get into a black Chevrolet Impala and drive away after hearing the shots.
Byrd said the apartment complex may not have security cameras in its parking lot, but teams were sent out to see if anyone in the vicinity of the crime does.
“People might have their own camera system in their homes or in their cars. It’s standard procedure to check,” Byrd said.
He said police aren’t discounting the possibility that Wednesday’s crime could be connected to an attempted robbery at a Merrillville apartment complex a couple weeks ago.
“We’re tracking down parallels to other calls made here in Merrillville and other towns, as well. This is a very active, ongoing investigation,” Byrd said.
Karen Caffarini is a freelance reporter.
Information wanted
Anyone with information about who killed Cecil Pendleton Jr. should contact the Merrillville Police Department at 769-3722, Ext. 347, or visit the anonymous Major Crimes Task Force website at nwimajorcrimes.com and click on the “Submit a Tip” tab.
