Mayor: Police Closing In On Suspect In Warren Woman's Murder

WARREN (WWJ) - Authorities are hot on the heels of a man suspected in the murder of a 61-year-old Warren woman, who was found dead inside her apartment.

Mayor Jim Fouts said "the indication is that someone is going to be charged" Thursday in the death of Dona Lawrence, who was found dead at the Williamsburg East apartments, near Schoenherr and 13 Mile Road.

"I just briefly talked with police officials (Wednesday) night, but there was a suspect between 25 and 30-years-old who, according to witnesses, was pounding on her door at 9 a.m. and she was found brutally beaten at 9:15 a.m.," Fouts told WWJ's Charlie Langton. "The suspect took her purse and they found parts of her belongings on Schoenherr Road. ... I've been told either there will be an arrest today or a pending arrest."

Police say at this point, they have no one in custody.

Joe Rassega, Lawrence's brother-in-law, said he went to visit with Lawrence and have some coffee -- a habit he took up after her husband passed away -- the morning of her death, but she was sleeping.

"I went over there at 7 o'clock the first time," he said. "I went into her bedroom, she was sleeping, I turned the TV off and left. Then I found out I didn't have to work that day and I went back around 9 o'clock and when I was pulling in, I seen her car pulling out with a white male and I thought maybe she loaned her car out to somebody or she was having it repaired."

As soon as Rassega entered Lawrence's apartment, he knew something was wrong. He eventually found her body lying on kitchen floor with an apparent head wound.

"I opened the door and I noticed that the cushions on the couch were all messed up, the kitchen and dining room rugs were all over the place," he said. "I moved a chair and that's when I seen her on the ground and I called her name out and shook her, and I seen that she had blood on the side of her face so I just got out of there and called 911."

Rassega said he believes the suspect is known to police.

"He helped my sister-in-law move some furniture a couple weeks ago and I also believe that he had cut his tether off, he was tethered and he cut that off," he said.

Police said the suspect fled the scene in Lawrence's vehicle, a blue four-door Daewoo Nubira station wagon. It wasn't immediately clear if the vehicle has been recovered.

"It's an unusual crime because it's a violent crime involving a homicide and it's early in the morning when it took place, and that's highly usual in that area," said Fouts.

An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 586-574-4700.