Michigan City Police announced Thursday that a La Porte man was arrested in connection to an August 2021 homicide that occurred in Michigan City.
On August 9, 2021 at around 7:34 PM police were called to Eastside Liquors regarding a person who was shot in the parking lot of Eastside Liquors located at 1509 East Michigan Boulevard. Officers were dispatched to the scene and discovered 34- year-old Leland Collins of Michigan City suffering from life threatening injuries. Officers immediately began life saving measures until EMS arrived. Collins was transported to Franciscan Health Michigan City Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Officers and detectives worked on the investigation for several months before it was turned over to the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office for a probable cause review.
The LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office presented this case to LaPorte County Superior Court # 1 Judge Jaime Oss who found probable cause on July 12, to charge 41-year-old La Porte resident Lamar Friend with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Police said, “The charge of attempted murder was included due to a female who was with Collins at the time he was shot and killed.”
Police say the identity of that female will remain withheld. An arrest warrant was issued for Friend on July 12 for murder and attempted murder with a $1,000,005.00 cash bond.
He was served with this arrest warrant on July 14 while incarcerated at the LaPorte County Jail on unrelated charges.