Police say a man was found severely injured in a dumpster on the city’s south side. Court records reveal a disturbing chain of events and a suspect now facing multiple felonies.

Marcus Merriweather, 46, of Fort Wayne, is facing attempted murder charges after officers found a brutally beaten man discarded in a dumpster near Pike’s Pub and Grub last Friday. The scene was described as grisly — blood at a nearby home, a soapy bucket in the hallway, and a chunk of bloody tissue in a car trunk. The details read more like a crime thriller than a real case — but police say it’s all too real.

Early Morning Alarm: A Break-in, a Missing Phone, and a Stolen Car

It started with a woman’s call for help. Around dawn, police responded to a house on Fort Wayne’s south side.

She told officers she’d just woken up to find Marcus Merriweather — her ex — inside her home. She hadn’t invited him in. She hadn’t seen him in weeks.

Two sentences later, she said he took her phone and car.

By the time police got there, he was already gone. But he didn’t stay away for long. Not even an hour later, Merriweather returned — this time, in her car.

Officers Start Connecting the Dots

The officers were already suspicious. His story didn’t hold up.

Merriweather claimed he borrowed the car to run errands. No one was buying it. Especially after they found something odd inside the vehicle — cards and personal items belonging to a man who’d been staying at the woman’s house. He’d crashed on her couch the night before. She hadn’t heard from him since.

They tried calling him. No answer.

Inside the house, police noticed blood — lots of it. On surfaces. On the floor. Even on the walls in some areas. Then they found something worse in the woman’s car: a “fresh chunk of red, bloody tissue,” according to court documents.

And then there was the bucket. A soapy one. Sitting in the hallway. The woman swore it wasn’t there the night before.

Crime Scene Expands as Homicide Detectives Get Involved

At this point, officers secured the house and called in Fort Wayne’s Homicide Unit. They weren’t sure what they were dealing with — maybe a murder, maybe something worse.

Just as detectives were setting up, a new call came in.

A man had been found unconscious, stuffed in a dumpster behind Pike’s Pub and Grub — not far from the woman’s house.

Officers raced to the scene.

And yes — it was the same man. The one who’d been sleeping on her couch. The one whose cards were in the trunk. Still alive, somehow.

Graphic Footage and a Chilling Timeline

Police later reviewed surveillance video from outside the bar. What they saw confirmed their worst fears.

Merriweather pulled up in the woman’s vehicle. The trunk popped. There was a struggle.

Then came the blows. Brutal, heavy strikes — one after another. Merriweather reportedly beat the man until he went limp. Then he lifted him and threw him headfirst into the dumpster.

It all happened in less than 30 seconds.

Court documents describe the footage as “graphic and violent.” Investigators believe the victim had been in the trunk for hours before being dumped.

A List of Charges and a Chilling Motive

Marcus Merriweather has been formally charged with:

• Attempted murder

• Aggravated battery

• Kidnapping using a vehicle

He is being held in Allen County Jail and is set for his first court appearance Tuesday.

As for motive? Police haven’t confirmed a clear one. But sources close to the investigation say Merriweather may have suspected the victim of having a relationship with his ex-girlfriend.

That’s not yet confirmed — but jealousy is a theory they’re looking into.

Victim’s Condition Still Critical

The unnamed victim remains hospitalized in what doctors describe as life-threatening condition. He’s been unable to speak or provide a statement.

Sources say he sustained:

• Multiple facial fractures

• Internal bleeding

• Signs of severe trauma consistent with blunt force impacts

His identity has not yet been released publicly by authorities, but police confirmed he is an adult male and known to the woman.

Neighbors Rattled, City in Shock

The quiet stretch of South Fort Wayne where the incident began is now filled with police tape, media trucks, and a community asking how something this violent could happen so close to home.

One neighbor, speaking anonymously, said she heard “yelling around 4 a.m.,” but assumed it was a domestic argument and didn’t call police. “I feel awful now,” she said.

Another neighbor added, “This is usually a quiet block. This kind of thing doesn’t happen here.”

Merriweather’s Record and Upcoming Court Date

This isn’t Merriweather’s first run-in with the law.

Public records show prior arrests, though nothing close to what’s alleged now. His charges have ranged from misdemeanor theft to possession of a controlled substance. But never attempted murder.

His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday morning at Allen County Courthouse. A judge will decide whether he’s eligible for bond.