Merrillville Woman Charged With Attempted Murder After Two Family Members Shot Inside Home
Lenora Beach, 59, of Merrillville, is charged after officers were dispatched at approximately 7:54 p.m. on January 30, 2026, to a residence in the 5400 block of Maryland Street in Merrillville for a domestic disturbance where dispatch advised that two people had been shot.
According to the probable cause affidavit, when officers arrived a woman outside the home screamed that her children were inside and had been shot. Officers observed the front door open and saw a male and female lying on the floor just inside the entryway. Officers also observed Beach standing behind them holding a cellphone in one hand and a black revolver in the other. Officers gave commands to put the weapon down and Beach complied before being taken into custody without incident.
Officers entered the residence and observed the female victim lying on the floor holding her abdomen below her ribcage with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. She was begging officers not to let her die and calling for her mother as her breathing began to slow before medics arrived and began treatment.
The male victim complained of pain in his leg. When asked what happened, he told officers, “She tried to attack my mom, and she shot me.”
During a search of the residence, officers located the revolver identified as a Smith & Wesson 442 in the dining area. Officers also located a loaded 9mm Mossberg semi-automatic pistol in a dresser drawer believed to belong to Beach and a 12-gauge Remington shotgun in a bedroom closet.
Beach was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital after complaining of chest pain and reporting a small injury to her pinky finger that she said occurred when she was bitten. She was later released and interviewed by detectives.
According to the affidavit, Beach told detectives she had been arguing throughout the day with a family member who had been ordered to move out of the home. She admitted to physically blocking the front doorway and refusing to allow that person to use it, insisting they use a side entrance instead. Beach claimed a fight broke out near the doorway and that she was attacked by multiple people at once, was being choked, struck in the head, and bitten. She told detectives she retrieved a .38 caliber revolver from her pocket and fired two shots without aiming because she could not see.
Detectives noted in the affidavit that Beach had no visible injuries to her head or neck consistent with her claims and only minor cuts to her finger. Detectives further stated they did not find her self-defense claims to be credible.
Police later learned one victim suffered a gunshot wound striking the kidney and liver and was placed on a ventilator in critical condition. The other victim had a projectile lodged in his pelvic girdle that doctors advised would remain there permanently.
Beach was transported to the Lake County Jail.
Charges filed January 31,2026:
• Attempted Murder – Level 1 Felony
• Aggravated Battery – Level 3 Felony (2 counts)
