SMYRNA — Police searched a residence on Kates Way Friday, in regard to a pending homicide investigation.
Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said that on Monday, the resident, Mark R. Reedy, 51, turned himself in at Troop 3 on charges related to an alleged assault that happened Nov. 10 at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital in Dover. Mr. Reedy was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on a $3,000 bond.
Sgt. Bratz said the investigation, in coordination with the Dover and Smyrna Police departments, began after a report of an alleged violent physical domestic assault.
According to Sgt. Bratz, at about 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 11, Dover Police began investigating the alleged assault involving Mr. Reedy and a 52-year-old female. Sgt. Bratz said the investigation found the domestic complaint occurred on Nov. 10 at the hospital as the woman was visiting Mr. Reedy, her boyfriend.
According to police, they argued and he allegedly assaulted her.
Mark R. Reedy
Mr. Reedy was released from the hospital on Nov. 12 and subsequently was arrested and charged by the Dover Police with strangulation and terroristic threatening. He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace 7 and released on $3,000 unsecured bond pending his preliminary hearing, which was scheduled for Nov. 23.
However, on Thursday, the Smyrna Police Department received a Family Court writ of injunction for Mr. Reedy, which stemmed from the reported domestic assault in Dover. Sgt. Bratz said Mr. Reedy failed to comply with the Family Court order to turn over his weapons. Smyrna Police, assisted by Delaware State Police homicide detectives, made several failed attempts to serve Mr. Reedy the order at his home at 421 Kates Way, Smyrna.
Sgt. Bratz said a vehicle was seen leaving the Kates Way address on Thursday and a traffic stop was conducted. A search allegedly found several weapons in the vehicle, which were seized.
On Friday, the State Police Special Operations Response Team executed a search warrant and attempted to serve the Family Court writ of injunction at the suspect’s residence. Upon entering, officers allegedly encountered a dog, which they tried to subdue using “less than lethal force,” according to Sgt. Bratz. When the animal became aggressive, it was killed.
Sgt. Bratz said the warrant obtained to search Mr. Reedy’s residence was in regard to a pending homicide investigation, that is active and ongoing.
On Monday, Mr. Reedy turned himself in at Troop 3 for failure to appear for the preliminary hearing for the charges of strangulation and the terroristic threatening — a threat to commit a crime likely to result in death or serious injury.