Nearly seven years after Scott Reese was fatally stabbed on Oct. 29, 2019, in his Castleton apartment, his sister, Cathy Peters, is still demanding answers. She says that for years, her repeated requests for updates on the investigation were met with silence, until city officials acknowledged this spring that there had been an administrative failure during a 2020 records migration. The case remains unsolved, and Reese's family is now pushing the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to take another hard look at DNA and other potential leads.
Family raises new questions about the investigation
According to reporting by WIBC 93.1 FM, neighbors and 911 logs indicate that Reese fled a violent struggle inside his Allisonville Road apartment, made it out of the unit, and reached a neighbor's door before collapsing and dying on the stairway. Cathy told the station that investigators located DNA on a wall inside his apartment and that his state identification card has never been recovered. WIBC 93.1 FM also reported that an online fundraiser pulled in roughly $5,000 for funeral expenses within 24 hours of his death, a quick show of support that underscored how many people were shaken by the killing.
IMPD responds and assigns a new detective
In a statement provided to WIBC 93.1 FM, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said that "no case files were ever lost or misplaced" and noted that the investigation has been transferred to the IMPD Unsolved Homicide Unit and assigned to a new detective. Cathy told the station that Detective Jeremy Ingram initially informed her he could not open the file until July or August because of what she described as an immense backlog, although she later heard he might be able to begin working on the case sooner. IMPD also provided information for its Victim Assistance Unit and shared the homicide tip line for anyone who might have information.
Remembering Reese
Scott Reese was 42 when he was killed. Born in 1977, he was legally blind, and his obituary notes that he refused to let that define his life, even earning recognition as a high school placekicker. The obituary at Fife Funeral Home says he moved to Indianapolis through a local support program and worked toward living independently. His 2017 appearance at a Colts game, where he used eSight electronic glasses to watch the team play, was highlighted by the team on Colts.com, and that moment in the spotlight helped keep his story in the minds of many in the community.
Cold-case backlog and what families face
Reese's case is unfolding against a wider backdrop of cold cases that linger for years. Backlogs and declining clearance rates have left many families without answers, a pattern that national watchdogs have tracked. The Murder Accountability Project has documented how reporting gaps and stretched resources can result in homicides remaining unresolved for long periods, which advocates say helps explain the delays that Reese's family has encountered.
The family's memorial page on EverLoved includes a donation link created by Cathy Peters and highlights the community support that followed his death. Anyone with information about Scott Reese's killing is asked to contact IMPD's homicide tip line at 317-327-3475.
