Girlfriend charged for 43-year-old boyfriend’s murder in Dowagiac

DOWAGIAC, Mich (WNDU) -Two women are in custody and facing several charges in relation to the murder of a 43-year-old Dowagiac man police found dead in his residence at Hillcrest Apartments Wednesday afternoon.

39-year-old Deidra Tomlin is charged with murder along with six other charges for evidence tampering, drug possession, covering up a death, and illegal firearm possession.

Investigators learned Tomlin was the victim’s girlfriend.

The murder charge carries a sentence up to life in prison.

41-year-old Jaime Loriot faces three separate charges for assisting Tomlin after the crime, evidence tampering, and covering up the death.

She could face more than 20 years in prison as a habitual offender.

South Bend Police took her and another Loriot into custody, four days after investigators say the victim died.

The Dowagiac Police say this all started with an argument between the victim and Tomlin on Monday night.

That’s when they say the victim was shot and killed.

They say Tomlin and Loriot, who is from Mishawaka, IN, unsuccessfully tried to hide the body in a curbside dumpster inside the victim’s apartment before fleeing the same night.

Thursday afternoon, at 4:30 PM, officers followed up on a tip about the shooting finding the victim where the suspects left him. In his apartment, inside a curbside garbage dumpster.

Less than 24-hours later, the suspects were taken into custody.

“It was probably around 3:00 or 4:00 this morning they were taken into custody. They were lodged about 7:00 or 8:00 this morning,” said Dowagiac Public Safety Director Steve Grinnewald.

Tomlin and Loriot fled across state lines to a residence in South Bend where local police and SWAT officers arrested them early Friday morning.

“This was an isolated incident as well between two individuals that unfortunately rose to that level. That’s how it was handled and those individuals are in custody so we don’t have to worry about them hurting anyone else,” Grinnewald said.

The Dowagiac Police say to reach out to them or the Cass County tip line with any other information you might have as they’re still working to close out this investigation.

Here’s a full breakdown of the charges for Deidra Tomlin:

1. Murder: Life sentence
2. Tampering with evidence: 10 yrs. and/or $20,000
3. Possession of Methamphetamine: 10 yrs. and/or $15,000
4. Concealing death of an individual: 5 yrs. and/or $5,000
5. 5-7 Felony Firearm: 2 years consecutive charge

Jaime Loriot:

1. Tampering with evidence: 10 yrs. and/or $20,000
2. Accessory after the fact to a felony: 5 yrs. and/or $10,000
3. Concealing death of an individual: 5 yrs. and/or $5,000
4. Habitual second offender-penalty: 1.5 times the maximum sentence on primary offenses or lesser term. The maximum penalty cannot be less than the maximum term for a first conviction.

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