Charges filed in Illinois mom’s death after her baby’s body found in Indiana
A 26-year-old man who had a “troubled” relationship with a 21-year-old Wheeling woman is accused of strangling her, police said, as officials identified a baby found dead in a Hammond retention pond as her missing daughter.
Ahmeel Fowler was charged Nov. 12 with first-degree murder in the death of Ja’nya Murphy, said Wheeling Deputy police Chief Al Steffen.
Murphy’s body was found about 10:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in her home in the 300 block of Inland Drive, and her daughter was initially reported missing, according to Steffen.
Murphy and Fowler, who dated at one point, had a “troubled relationship,’’ Steffen said, adding that right now Fowler is only charged with Murphy’s death.
“We expect additional charges,’’ Steffen said.
Fowler is not the father of 1-year-old Jaclyn “Angel” Dobbs, who was found dead in a retention pond Nov.11 , Steffen said.
Fowler, who Nov. 12 was is in the custody of the Springfield, Missouri sheriff’s department, was arrested Nov 10 in Missouri after a murder warrant was issued by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, Steffen said.
Police are starting the extradition process to get Fowler back to Illinois to face the charges and Steffen said he did not immediately know when he will return.
Murphy died of asphyxia from being strangled, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which conducted an autopsy Nov. 11 . Her death was ruled a homicide.
Angel was found dead in a Hammond retention pond that Thursday afternoon. Her identity was confirmed by the Lake County, Indiana coroner’s office, Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Glen Fifield said in a news release.
Construction workers working in the Oxbow Landing business park nearby found what they thought was a body floating in the pond, located in an interchange cloverleaf, Fifield said during a news conference Nov. 11. They called E-911, and Hammond firefighters were first on scene, he said. Rescuers retrieved the body.
Several agencies, including the Lake County Regional Dive Team, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigation unit, worked until the evening combing the pond for evidence.
Earlier that Thursday, authorities in Wheeling said a “person of interest” had been identified and located in Missouri, as was a van believed to have been used in connection with the kidnapping of the girl, authorities said.