Michigan City man charged with fatally shooting, robbing elderly man

MICHIGAN CITY | A Michigan City man has been accused of fatally shooting and robbing an elderly Michigan City man.

Shelly Marzono, 34, formerly of Gary, was arrested Friday and charged Monday with murder, felony murder, robbery and unlawful firearm possession.

LaPorte Superior Court 1 Judge Kathleen Lang ruled Monday there was sufficient evidence to bring Marzono to trial.

A little before 1 a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1500 block of Elston Street on the city's west side and found 73-year old Charles Harper dead inside his home.

A friend of Harper's discovered his body, Michigan City Police Chief Mark Swistek said.

Harper was shot multiple times in the head, chest and abdomen, LaPorte County Coroner John Sullivan said.

Swistek said the investigation shows that Marzono took guns and other property belonging to Harper along with his vehicle.

About an hour after the call, Michigan City police Officer Michael McLemore was conducting a search and found Harper's vehicle at an apartment complex south of U.S. 20 and west of Franklin Street.

Swistek said officers knocked on apartment doors to gather information and obtained the name of a suspect.

Police found Marzono by about 9 a.m. inside an apartment where he was staying with friends, Swistek said.

Officers reportedly recovered two handguns belonging to Harper while taking Marzono into custody.

Police would not disclose the chain of events that led to the killing or whether any money was stolen.

Swistek also would not say if there was any forced entry into Harper's home.

Police did not disclose how Marzono and Harper knew each other but they did say the two men were not related.