Patrolman
Edward James Blakely
Porter County Sheriff's Department
Tuesday, November 28, 1961

Age: 47
Served: 6 years
Badge #:
Panel 46E, Line 2
Panel L3, Line 9

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Tuesday, November 28, 1961
01:15 am
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
County Road 475 West north of U.S. 30
Incident County:
Porter
Incident Township:
Union
Weapon Used:
16-gauge shotgun
Suspect Disposition:
Discharged in 1999
Burial Place:
Chesterton Cemetery, Chesterton

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   Patrolman Edward Blakely was shot and killed while investigating a disabled vehicle whom he was unaware its driver was a murder suspect.

   The man had shot and wounded another man outside a Gary tavern and stole his car. When the car broke down he killed a 30-year-old man at his East Gary residence and stole his car, which had a shotgun in the trunk.

   After Patrolman Blakely was called to investigate a vehicle stuck in a ditch, he was later found shot to death beside that stolen vehicle.

   The 20-year-old male was captured in Gary a few hours later after crashing Patrolman Blakely's patrol car that he had stolen. He was charged with first-degree murder but was not competent to stand trial until 1968 when he was found guilty and sentenced to death.

   In 1972, the Indiana Supreme Court ordered a new trial upon appeal. He was later found guilty of second-degree murder, sentenced to life and discharged in 1999.

   Patrolman Blakely had previously served with the Chesterton Police Department for two years and the Porter Police Department for one year. He was survived by his wife, daughter, four grandchildren, three brothers, sister and parents. One of his brothers had served as the Porter town marshal.



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Patrolman Edward James Blakely - Porter County Sheriff's Department - INLEM.org