Rockford murder suspect captured

MCSO information

CELINA – A man wanted for murder in the death of his former girlfriend has been apprehended in Indiana.

Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey announced the capture of Daniel Charles Martin, 40, in Fort Wayne, Ind.  Martin was wanted for the November 8, 2012, murder of Melinda Shinn, 26, in Rockford.

The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office was asked to investigate the homicide by the Rockford Police Department, while Martin fled the area after the incident. An arrest warrant was issued for Martin on November 8 and a subsequent Mercer County grand jury issued an indictment during its December session.

On November 9, 2012, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the United States Marshal’s Service in locating Martin, and, for the past several days, deputy U.S. marshals and Mercer County sheriff’s deputies have been tracking Martin.

This morning, deputy marshals and Mercer County detectives hit the home Martin was staying in.  Found in the home was an AK-47 assault rifle, which was seized. Martin was taken into custody without further incident, while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is investigating the ownership of the rifle.

“We are very grateful for the U.S. Marshal Service’s assistance,” stated Sheriff Grey. “Without their help and unique tracking capabilities, we would still be looking for Mr. Martin. This is a great example of how federal and local agencies can, and should, work together.”

“This fugitive investigation was one of our top priorities and we immediately added Martin to our most wanted Dangerous Dozen list,” stated Northern District of Ohio Assistant Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Andrew Deserto. “Thanks to the great teamwork with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the 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.”