Tiliek Thompson faces murder and other charges after Lovay Williams was found dead inside her apartment, where her young daughter was present.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — A 41-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a Washington Heights mother who was found unresponsive inside her Manhattan apartment as her young daughter remained in the home, police and local news reports said.
Tiliek Thompson was taken into custody Saturday in connection with the death of 27-year-old Lovay Williams, whose body was discovered Sept. 6 inside her apartment on West 156th Street. Police said Williams had trauma to her face and neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family has said her 7-year-old daughter was inside the apartment during the fatal attack.
Police walked Thompson out of the NYPD’s 33rd Precinct in handcuffs Saturday night as Williams’ relatives and friends watched from behind barricades. Some family members shouted as he was escorted from the station. Thompson is accused of killing Williams but has not been convicted of the charges against him.
Authorities said officers went to Williams’ apartment after receiving a request for a wellness check. They found her unconscious and unresponsive inside the home. Emergency medical workers pronounced her dead there. Police have released few details about the circumstances surrounding the killing, and investigators have not publicly detailed a motive.
Williams’ relatives have said she and Thompson had been dating. Police had been investigating the killing as a domestic-related case before Thompson was taken into custody. News 12 reported that investigators said Thompson was dating Williams at the time of her death and that he surrendered to police Saturday.
Thompson faces several charges, including murder, strangulation, child abandonment and acting in a manner injurious to a child. Other charges reported in connection with the case include assault and harassment. The allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and prosecutors will have to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Williams’ family has said her daughter witnessed the violence and remained inside the apartment afterward. Her father, Nuquan Williams, told ABC7 that the child believed her mother was sleeping. Relatives have said the girl is receiving support as the family deals with Williams’ death. Authorities have not publicly released a detailed account from the child.
At a gathering after Williams’ death, relatives described the 27-year-old as a devoted mother who loved her daughter, music and spending time with other people. Her family and domestic violence advocates gathered to remember her as police continued searching for the person responsible. Thompson’s arrest came less than a week after Williams was found dead.
The case also produced some differing early reports about the child’s age. Williams’ relatives and ABC7 identified her daughter as 7 years old, while one CBS New York report cited police sources describing the child as 5. Because authorities have released limited information about the child, details concerning her are being reported cautiously.
Williams’ death remains an active criminal case. Thompson was expected to face a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court following his arrest. Further details about the evidence against him, the precise circumstances of Williams’ death and the next stages of the prosecution had not been publicly released as of Sunday.
Author note: Last updated September 13, 2026.