Quiet Neighborhood Shaken By Weekend Murder

By Janelle MacDonald

(LOUISVILLE) -- Police say they are still searching for clues in murder a murder over the weekend in west Buechel. Early Saturday morning 48-year-old Michael Ellis Sr. was killed outside his home near Bashford Manor Lane, and police are still looking for suspects. WAVE 3's Janelle MacDonald investigates.

Busy Bashford Manor Lane turns into a quiet neighborhood, not the place where you'd expect to find a murder scene. And nearby residents were surprised that it happened at Ellis's home in the 3533 block of Huon Drive.

Police were called to the scene just after one o'clock Saturday morning, where they found Ellis in the driveway. He had been shot multiple times. fatally wounded behind the house.

Nearby residents we spoke with say it's a close-knit neighborhood. "We look out for each other and care for one another," said Donna Ising, captain of the Neighborhood Block Watch.

Ising says 48-year-old Ellis was just that kind of neighbor. "He was just the perfect neighbor. The perfect neighbor."

Ising says Ellis kept to himself. She and his next door neighbor knew him best, but even they didn't know him well.

Ellis's house is well-tended. The yard was mowed Sunday, but not by its owner. "Someone cut the grass for him yesterday," Ising said, "and I wouldn't be surprised if it wouldn't be a neighbor."

With no suspects in custody, neighbors like Dale Kenton are worried. "Naturally we're concerned. There's a murderer on the loose."

The morning Ellis was killed, Ising says a neighbor heard what she thought was fireworks but they turned out to be gunshots. Then she heard a car alarm so she called 911.

That's when she walked out and found Mike Ellis.

"The neighborhood is just shocked and devastated," Ising said, "because we've never had nothing like this before."

Police say they have no suspects at this time, although the police say a neighbor reported seeing someone running away shortly after the shooting.

For now, residents are trying to regain their sense of security. "My wife walks our dog in the middle of the night," Kenton said. "It's so peaceful and so quiet around here."

Ising says the neighborhood is taking steps to keep that peace and quiet. "We're going to beef up our block watch this summer."

Ising tells WAVE 3 that Ellis had teenage children, but they didn't live with him.

Again, police are still looking for suspects in Ellis's murder; they're also looking for suspects in the murder of Craig Jones Jr., who was shot to death on north 46th Street about an hour before Ellis was killed.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LMPD crime hotline at 502-574-LMPD (574-5673). Callers do not have to reveal their identity.

Online Reporter: Janelle MacDonald

Online Producer: Michael Dever