INDIANAPOLIS -- A local priest is accused of terrorizing his wife after he claims he discovered she was having an affair.
Reverend Luke Reese, 49, worked out of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church on Indianapolis' south side. He was forced to step away from the pulpit on Sept. 27 after he disclosed that he was facing multiple domestic violence accusations against his wife.
Reese is an ordained Anglican priest which means that unlike Catholic priests, he is allowed to be married.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Reese said he discovered that his wife of 25 years was having an affair on Sept. 24.
Reese found his wife and another man in a car together. He demanded the man get out of the car, and when he did not, Reese opened the door and kicked the man in the face, according to the court documents. She got out of the car and into her own, then drove to a park as instructed by Reese, so they could talk.
Those court documents detail a trail of horror following that discovery, in which Reese is accused of driving his wife around the city while "hitting her, yelling at her and blaring heavy metal music."
Reese's wife told police that at one point he took her to the Holy Rosary Church and made her "kneel by the altar" as he threatened to choke her.
She told police that the abuse lasted more than 18 hours and included a trip to Fort Wayne, where her family lives, where he told a relative that he "could have killed her." Reese then drove back to their home in Indianapolis and ripped off her clothes so he could take nude photos of her which he threatened to show "everyone" at the church and online as punishment.
Reese and his wife have seven children together.
He's facing multiple charges including criminal confinement, domestic battery, kidnapping and intimidation.
Reese, a former Anglican priest, was ordained a Catholic priest in Texas in 2016. He's been on leave of absence since September.
The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter out of Houston, Texas released the following statement on Reese's arrest.
Upon receiving information related to alleged criminal conduct on Rev. Reese’s part, the Ordinariate and the Archdiocese immediately placed Rev. Reese on leave.
Since Sept. 27, he has not had any priestly duties and has been prohibited from exercising any public ministry.Bishop Steven J. Lopes of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter has pledged the diocese’s full cooperation with the civil authorities conducting the investigation.
The Ordinariate is committed to collaborating with authorities to ensure justice is provided for all concerned, and affirms the Catholic Church’s clear teaching that domestic violence is never justified.
Rev. Reese is on administrative leave pending resolution of the case, which remains in the Indiana criminal justice system.
Out of respect for the privacies of everyone involved, the Ordinariate will not make further statements at this time. All questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the Indianapolis Police Department or Indiana Criminal Court System.
Reese's trial is currently set to begin on May 3 in Marion County.
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