George Allen Reed was a family man, a United States Army veteran, and a talented musician known for his kind and generous spirit. Born on April 27, 1962, in Michigan City, Indiana, George, a 50-year-old Black man, eventually settled in South Bend. He graduated from Washington High School in 1980, where he was a member of the school's first organized gospel choir and played the guitar, a passion he carried throughout his life. After his honorable service in the Army, he worked as a laborer, taking on lawn care and handyman jobs. Those who knew him best remembered a man who loved his family deeply and was always willing to help others. He was married to Pamela Reed and was a father, brother, and uncle. A local grocery store owner described him as a nice, loyal customer who never bothered anyone.
The afternoon of Friday, March 1, 2013, began like any other for George. He made a routine trip to a grocery store in the 4400 block of Western Avenue, a place he visited frequently.
At 2:50 p.m., he left the store and started the walk back to his home on West Washington Street. His journey took him through an alley between Illinois and Wellington Streets. Just thirteen minutes after he left the store, at 3:03 p.m., a passer-by placed a 911 call reporting a man down in the alley behind the 300 block of South Illinois Street. The ordinary afternoon had taken a violent and tragic turn.
South Bend Police officers arrived at the scene quickly but found George Reed already deceased. He had been shot in the chest. Neighbors told investigators they had heard two gunshots just before he was found. Some witnesses reported seeing a Black man wearing a dark jacket running northward through the alley immediately after the shots were fired. Friends and neighbors speculated that the motive might have been a robbery that went wrong, as George was simply on his way home from buying groceries. The St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit took charge of the investigation into what was, at that point, the county's only homicide of 2013.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police canvassed the neighborhood in search of the killer. They surrounded a nearby house where they believed a suspect might be hiding, but the search did not lead to an arrest. Investigators worked to piece together the limited evidence and witness statements, but the trail quickly grew cold. No suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests were made in the days and weeks that followed, leaving George's family and community without answers.
As the investigation continued, George's wife, Pamela, spoke of the nerve-wracking pain of waiting for justice. She expressed her faith that the police were working hard and that her husband's killer would eventually be caught, but acknowledged the difficulty of being patient. "It's real nerve-wracking," she said more than two months after the murder. "All I have is to just be patient for now." The Metro Homicide Unit assured the families of victims that unsolved cases were never forgotten. "Just because they're unsolved doesn't mean we're not still working them," said Lt. David Wells, the unit's assistant commander.
A funeral service for George was held on Saturday, March 9, 2013, at Mount Carmel Baptist Church, followed by interment at Fairview Cemetery. His obituary remembered him as a man cherished by his wife, mother, daughter, sisters, brothers, and a host of other relatives and friends. In the months following his death, his case was featured by Michiana Crime Stoppers, which offered a cash reward of up to $1,000 for anonymous tips that could lead to the arrest of the person responsible for his murder.
Years have passed, but the murder of George Allen Reed remains unsolved. The investigation is open, but no one has ever been charged in connection with his death. The man who was remembered for his love of family, music, and his giving nature was taken in a senseless act of violence on a Friday afternoon. As of September 2013, his killer was still at large. Authorities continue to seek information from the public, and the reward from Crime Stoppers remains a standing offer for anyone who can provide the key piece of information that will finally bring closure to his loved ones. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Michiana Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP or 574-288-STOP.
