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Man accused of shooting at wife found dead in jail cell
A 52-year-old Greencastle man accused of shooting at his wife with a sawed-off shotgun was found dead in his cell at the Putnam County Jail Monday morning.
According to a release from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Robert E. Reid was found unresponsive in his cell at 7:49 a.m.
The jail commander immediately requested in-house medical staff. Putnam County Operation Life and Coroner Dave Brown were also quickly summoned.
Reid was declared deceased at 8:03 a.m.
In addition to the coroner and PCSD, the team investigating Reid’s death includes the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department and the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office.
The preliminary investigation does not indicate foul play.
In jail since Sept. 7, Reid made his initial appearance in Putnam Superior Court on Friday, facing two felonies and one misdemeanor:
• Criminal confinement with a deadly weapon, a Level 3 felony which carries a sentencing range of 3-16 years in prison.
• Criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony punishable by 6-30 months in prison.
• Invasion of privacy, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 365 days in jail.
The charges stem from a Wednesday afternoon incident that unfolded outside the Reids’ 800 N. Madison St., Lot 6 mobile home and ended after Reid allegedly discharged the shotgun “in the general direction” of estranged wife Joyce Reid. That resulted in him being wrestled to the ground and detained by bystanders.
He was taken into custody at the scene by Greencastle Police Chief Tom Sutherlin.
After entering not-guilty pleas on Reid’s behalf, Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges ordered a $30,000 cash-only bond in the case.
The next court date in the case had been set for Nov. 2.
More information will be released when the coroner concludes his investigation and releases the cause of death.