Tiliek Thompson, 41, has been charged with murder following the death of 27-year-old Lovay Williams, who was killed in front of her seven-year-old daughter inside a Washington Heights apartment, according to local police and reports from outlets including the New York Post, ABC7 New York, and Gothamist. The suspect was taken into custody after police found the victim unresponsive with trauma to her face and neck on 156th Street.
Arrest and Charges in Washington Heights
According to police statements cited by ABC7 New York and Gothamist, officers responded to the Washington Heights apartment last weekend to find Lovay Williams unconscious. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities subsequently arrested 41-year-old Tiliek Thompson and charged him with murder in connection with the strangulation death, according to Gothamist and PIX11. Relatives stated that Williams and Thompson had been dating prior to the killing.
Crowds gathered outside the 33 Precinct as officers walked Thompson out of the station house. Family members shouted at the suspect and required physical restraint by police barricades.
Family Reaction and Community Response
Relatives remembered Williams as a devoted mother who prioritized her seven-year-old daughter. Her brother described her as “very attentive to her child” and the “best mom in the world.” The victim’s father expressed outrage over the violence, telling reporters, “He’s the devil. Anytime you’d kill a young female in front of her—anytime you put your hands on a woman—you a piece of garbage.”
Domestic violence advocates also responded to the incident, highlighting the ongoing dangers of intimate partner violence. Stephanie McGraw, founder of WARM, said that domestic abuse functions as a “silent killer that is killing women on the regular and it’s the signs we need to understand.”
Court Proceedings and Next Steps
The case continues to move through the New York court system following the weekend arrest. Relatives voiced intense anger during initial court appearances, with the New York Daily News reporting that family members shouted demands for the “gas chamber” inside the courtroom. Prosecutors and defense counsel are expected to present further evidence as the case proceeds toward trial.
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