Grieving Family Struggling To Keep Indiana Business Open After Murder
(CBS) – A Northwest Indiana family needs your help, several days after a family member was killed at their Merillville business.
Andrew Fugate, 27, was found inside a meat cooler at Piatak Meats. There are still no arrests, and grieving family members say they have another serious problem.
CBS 2's Pamela Jones has their story.
Still struggling with questions about his brother's murder, Allen Fugate is back helping customers choose cuts of meat at the family store.
He worked there with his brother, Andrew, until 10 days ago, when someone shot and killed him. Andrew's body was left just inside the door of a cooler.
Now, Andrew's smiling face can only be seen on flyers in the store.
"Sometimes you just forget he's still not here," Allen says.
Since the shooting, police have served a search warrant on a Merrillville home looking for clues. They've also collected new surveillance images, which they're enhancing.
Allen says it's comforting there are some leads, but adds, "It just would be more comforting if you just had some kind of resolution."
What the family also needs now is customers to return and shop especially with holiday meats already ordered.
"The people need to know that they can still come here and get what they need," customer Rosalind Brown says.
She and others saw the store closed for several days. They see Piatak's is open for business, but it needs strong sales right now to survive.
Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force is handling the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Merrillville police.
