CROWN POINT — Lake County prosecutors dropped charges Thursday against a man charged with attempted murder after a shooting involving a neighbor in 2019 left him wounded and his dog dead.
Guy T. Louise, 60, of unincorporated Crown Point, and the neighbor had been feuding for years before the shooting Nov. 25, 2020, in the 6000 block of West 109th Avenue, according to Lake Criminal Court records.
Louise's attorney Matthew Fech said after Louise was charged in February 2020 that Louise had an entirely different story to tell than what was presented in charging documents and news coverage.
According to court records, the neighbor told police he shot Louise's dog when it charged him, and Louise began shooting at him. The neighbor said he returned fire. Louise suffered a gunshot wound to his face.
Louise was charged with attempted murder, battery by means of a deadly weapon and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.
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Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Burke filed a motion to dismiss, which was granted Friday.Â
"After a full and complete review of the facts, the state has determined that the elements of these crimes cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," Burke wrote.
Fech said he and Louise were pleased the prosecutor's office agreed with their position and dismissed the case.
"As I said at Guy's initial appearance, we were looking forward to proving his innocence and through the discovery process, that's exactly what we've been able to accomplish," Fech said. "(The neighbor)'s own testimony provided the evidence we needed to show that my client didn't commit any criminal acts."
Sarah Reese
Lake County Courts and Social Justice Reporter
Sarah covers crime, courts and public safety. She began her career at The Times in 2004. Contact her at sarah.reese@nwi.com or 219-933-3351.
