Mother pleads for information about 20-year-old daughter’s murder
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A mother is pleading for information after her 20-year-old daughter’s body was discovered behind a home were firefighters were putting out a small fire in June.
Melissa Runnels mother, Barbara Runnels of Indianapolis, spoke Wednesday to News 8 about her daughter’s gruesome murder. Runnels said she wants answers about her daughter’s murder, calling this a “nightmare.”
It’s been three months and 11 days since Runnels fell to her knees in tears as she was told her daughter had been murdered.
“It was the worst day of my life,” said Runnels as she remembered the morning of June 15. “We were supposed to be planning my son’s graduation party, instead we were burying my daughter.”
Crews were called after 1 a.m. June 15 to a home in the 1100 block of North Warman Avenue on the west side. That’s north of 10th Street between North Tibbs and North Belmont avenues.
“I don’t know how you go on without answers, and that’s what I’m asking for,” said Runnels. “I don’t know why she was in that area. I don’t know who would have brought her there.”
The Marion County Coroner’s Office ruled Melissa Runnels died from a gunshot wound.
Runnels said her daughter was shot, and then her body was lit on fire.
“There was nothing left,” said Runnels. “They couldn’t identify her, except by fingerprint.”
Runnels said she doesn’t want her daughter to become another homicide statistic.
She described Melissa as a beautiful blonde-haired blue eyed girl that had a bright future ahead of her as a medical assistant.
Melissa’s last conversation with her mother, was nothing out of the ordinary.
“It was Wednesday night at 10:24,” said Runnels. “She said, ‘I’ve been blowing my nose a lot and it’s raw, what can I put on it to make it not hurt so much?’”
Those were the last words Runnels would get from her daughter.
Melissa’s murder is one of 110 criminal homicides in Indianapolis this year.
IMPD has solved around 70 percent of those cases already, compared to only 40 percent last year.
It’s the only statistic Runnels is holding on to.
“I miss her every day,” said Runnels. “Every day, I’m wondering if she’s going to call me.”
Runnels hopes someone, somewhere, can help put together the pieces of what happened to Melissa.
“Please, I would forgive you,” said Runnels. “Just turn yourself in. Give me mercy. Give our family some closure. I just want some closure from this. I don’t want anybody else to ever go through this.”
Melissa’s phone, purse and ID are all still missing.
Runnels said while Melissa is normally a blonde, she recently dyed her hair red.
Runnels asked if you saw anything suspicious in the area in the overnight to early morning hours on June 15, to speak up.
Police asked anyone with information on the case to contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.
