Catholic priest in Indianapolis accused of domestic assault on his wife

INDIANAPOLIS (IN)
WTHR

February 27, 2018

By Sandra Chapman

A man who made history as the first married priest in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis faces six criminal charges tied to an assault last September involving his wife. Court documents state that part of the attack happened in the sanctuary of Holy Rosary Catholic Church where he worked.

According to court documents obtained by 13 Investigates, Father Luke Reese is accused of kidnapping, criminal confinement, battery and intimidation.

Reese is a Parochial Vicar at Holy Rosary Catholic church in Indianapolis, and according to the Archdiocese, has been placed on leave.

The court documents detail an encounter between Reese and his wife on a Sunday afternoon, September 24, when Reese said he found her in the back seat of a car with another man with whom she was having an affair.

The probable cause affidavit states that Reese hit and kicked the man and ordered his wife to leave with him. They left in separate cars and eventually met up together and got into Reese’s car. She told investigators he locked the doors and began hitting her while they were driving.

Investigators say Reese eventually drove to Holy Rosary Catholic Church on the near east side of Indianapolis and forced his wife inside to kneel at the altar. She told officers he demanded her cell phone password. She says Reese physically hit her in the church too.

The affidavit then states the two left the church and she gave up her password.

Investigators say they drove to Auburn, Indiana, where his wife was to “confess” about her adultery to her family members including her 90-year-old grandmother.

Reese’s wife details in the documents that her husband hit her several more times in the car. The grandmother told investigators that she noticed bruising and swelling around her granddaughter’s mouth and eye.

Reese then drove his wife back to Indianapolis, where, according to his wife, he forced her to go to bed while he cut up her clothing. She told officers he viewed her text messages and then sexually assaulted her.

It is WTHR’s policy to not name some assault victims.

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