Merrillville Police Apprehend Murder Suspect
After numerous man hours of investigation and surveillance, Merrillville Police took a suspect into custody on the evening of 10/04/2021 after a very brief standoff, according to Assistant Chief Kosta Nuses. The suspect was wanted for involvement in the murder of Anthony Gibbs which occurred this past Saturday at a Merrillville motel.
Detectives quickly gained information about the suspect’s whereabouts and began surveillance. The newly formed Merrillville Tactical Apprehension Squad (MTAS) was activated placed on standby nearby the suspect’s location. Once the suspect was observed leaving the location he was at, as a passenger in a vehicle, Merrillville Police units quickly acted and initiated a felony traffic stop.
The suspect initially refused to come out and told the other occupant in the car that he intended on “shooting it out” with police. Fortunately for everybody, the presence of force brought on by MTAS, patrol officers, detectives and K9 Goose, caused the suspect to change his mind and surrender. “The presence of all those officers along with the sound of a K9 barking and ready to bite may seem excessive, however it creates a distraction in the suspects mind, Nuses said. In this case it distracted him long enough to change his mind and surrender peacefully and unharmed.
The suspect charged has been identified has Barry Billingsley. He was formally charged with Murder and Aggravated Battery.
