A person of interest in the beating death of a Manhattan mother surrendered to police for questioning on Saturday, his attorney confirmed.
Tiliek Shamel Thompson, 41, walked into the 33rd Precinct station house to face investigators probing the killing of Lovay Williams, 27, lawyer Neville Dexter said. The surrender came after social media posts had begun implicating Thompson in the slaying, though Dexter urged the public to hold back from rushing to conclusions.
“He’s at the precinct right now,” Dexter said.
“Everybody should reserve judgement,” the attorney continued. “We don’t know what happened.” Dexter did not disclose how his client would plead to any potential charges. Police have officially designated Thompson only as a “person of interest,” according to a police source.
Officers discovered Williams’ body during a wellness check at her apartment on 156th Street near Amsterdam Avenue in Washington Heights shortly after 1:30 p.m. On Sept. 6, police said. Her 7-year-old daughter, De’lani, was inside the home at the time her mother’s remains were found.
The child’s uncle, Nuquan Williams, a state corrections officer, has been helping shield the girl from the full weight of the tragedy. He described De’lani as a “loving spirit” who has continued attending school and going through her routines.
“We’ve been buying her toys and things like that,” he said. “I don’t think she’s emotionally intelligent enough to process what’s actually going on yet, being that she’s so young.”
“She’s holding up strong,” he added. “She hasn’t freaked out or anything like that. She’s such a sweet girl.”
Nuquan Williams directed his anger at the still-unidentified killer, demanding accountability for what he called a horrific act.
“Man up to the things you did!” he said. “It was horrific. You don’t deserve to walk the streets and enjoy life when you took a life.”
He remembered his sister as irreplaceable, both as a person and as a parent.
“She was the best mom, and no one could ever compare to her,” he said. “This is such a big loss for us.” He called her “one in a million.”
Asia Walker, 33, who described herself as Williams’ “God sister,” broke down while tying green balloons to a makeshift memorial outside the apartment building where the killing occurred. She said she had known Thompson through Williams for an extended period and struggled to reconcile the man she knew with the violence that claimed her friend’s life.
“It’s confusing to me because we knew this man for too long,” Walker said. “I don’t even know what caused this. I can’t remember (her) saying they even argued before.”
She wasn’t certain how Williams and Thompson had originally met, she said, but noted the two had been together “for a while.”
Walker’s reaction to Thompson’s surrender mixed relief with a hunger for resolution.
“Turning himself in would be the best thing for me,” she said. “Honestly, I know we ain’t gotta worry about him hurting nobody else and my niece can be at ease. Tomorrow will be a little better for me. I could sleep at night.”
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for De’lani’s care and future needs.