Judge finds guns tied to notorious homicide decades later

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) - A judge cleaning a courthouse closet said she discovered two handguns linked to a 1967 homicide that shocked northwestern Indiana.

'œIt's interesting how something could sit in a box for 50 years and then kind of bring a light,'ť Lake County Judge Marissa McDermott told The Times of Northwest Indiana. 'œIt was so important and in the public eye at the time.'ť

In 1967, Sharon Potts, a 19-year-old hospital aide, was found dead behind a church in East Chicago. Police said she had threatened to report that she had been sexually assaulted at a party. It became known as the 'œMadonna murder.'ť

Luis Montes, who was 16 at the time of the homicide, died in prison in 1980. Luciano Monserrate was sentenced to death, but the Indiana Supreme Court ordered a new trial. After more appeals, he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was released from prison in 1983.

McDermott said she would like to see the two guns made inoperable but then kept as 'œpart of Lake County history.'ť They are a .45-caliber Colt pistol and a Harrington & Richardson revolver.

'œAs far as who would maintain custody of them, I'm not sure," the judge said.