Reggie Dillard was recently exonerated and released from prison after serving over 27 years for a crime that he did not commit. We have launched this Go Fund Me to help support Reggie as he seeks to rebuild his life after decades of wrongful incarceration.
Reggie's Story
Reggie is an extraordinary and resilient man with an indomitable spirit. Reggie grew up in Detroit, Michigan, but moved to Elkhart, Indiana in 1996 to try to make a living and provide for his family. In February 1999, he was arrested and charged with a murder that he had nothing to do with. He was torn away from his family--including his mother, five children, and brothers and sisters--for decades. He always maintained his innocence.
From behind bars, Reggie was motivated every day by the idea that, someday, the truth would come out. He stayed in very close touch with his family--especially his mother--who was his biggest supporter--and his children--who he was very proud of and talked about all the time. To Reggie, his family is everything.
Sadly, Reggie faced enormous challenges in prison. In September 2005, his friend and co-defendant, Eddie Fredrick, who was also innocent, died in prison. In July 2024, Reggie suffered a stroke and had to undergo significant rehabilitation. And in October 2025--just months before his exoneration and release--his mother passed away.
Despite these and other hardships, Reggie continued to fight year after year. And finally, the truth came to light. On February 23, 2026, Reggie was fully exonerated and walked out of the Elkhart County Correctional Complex a free man.
Reggie's Legal Case
In July 2022, Reggie and his attorneys at the Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic filed a post-conviction petition on Reggie's behalf. In February 2026, an evidentiary hearing was held on that petition before an Elkhart County judge. At that hearing, Reggie and his attorneys showed that the State withheld material, exculpatory evidence showing that other men--not Reggie and Eddie--were responsible for the murder. Reggie's team also presented evidence showing that (1) the key witness against Reggie was having a sexual relationship with the Elkhart law enforcement officer who developed her as a witness; (2) that same law enforcement officer had been disciplined and forced to resign from the Elkhart Police Department based on internal affairs investigations findings that he was paying his female informants for sexual acts; and (3) the prosecutor on the case had made promises to provide assistance to the jailhouse informants against him. None of this evidence was ever disclosed to Reggie or his attorneys.
At the close of the evidentiary hearing, the special prosecutor on the case agreed that Reggie's conviction should be vacated, and the judge vacated his conviction that day. The State immediately moved to dismiss the charges against him. On February 23, 2026, the judge granted that motion, fully exonerating Reggie.
Reggie's Pressing Needs
As someone who was just released from prison after serving 27 years for a crime he did not commit, Reggie has significant and pressing needs. His most urgent needs include clothing, food, transportation, housing costs, utilities, medical needs (including rehabilitation relating to his 2024 stroke), job counseling and training, and mental health counseling, among other things.
As you can imagine, there are many changes and challenges for Reggie in adapting to this next chapter of his life. Our goal is to help provide him with some relief from the burdens that he will face in order to help him heal the wounds inflicted by his wrongful conviction.
Reggie has endured so much over the past 27 years. We are so grateful for any support that you can provide to help him land on his feet.