Relatives remembered Lovay Williams as a devoted parent while a 41-year-old man accused in her death entered the criminal court process.
NEW YORK — Relatives mourning 27-year-old Lovay Williams are remembering a young mother devoted to her daughter as a man authorities say she had dated now faces a murder charge in Williams’ death at her Washington Heights home.
Tiliek Thompson, 41, was charged Saturday, nearly a week after police conducting a wellness check found Williams unconscious and unresponsive in her West 156th Street apartment. She had injuries to her face and neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. Williams’ young daughter was also inside the apartment, according to police sources and family members.
The arrest has shifted the case from a search for a person investigators wanted to question to a criminal prosecution, but it has not ended the uncertainty surrounding Williams’ death. Police have not publicly provided a full account of what happened inside the apartment or disclosed a motive. Thompson has been accused of murder, but the charge has not been proven in court.
Williams’ relatives had spent the days after her death grieving publicly and urging accountability. At a memorial in East Harlem, family members released green balloons and described Williams as a caring single mother whose life centered on her child. Her mother, Monica Manners, said Williams should still be alive to raise her daughter.
Her father, Nuquan Williams, remembered his daughter as someone who loved music and people and said her daughter mattered most to her. Williams’ brother similarly described her as an attentive parent. Family members said the 7-year-old girl was present during the attack and witnessed her mother being killed.
Police have not released a detailed public statement describing what the child witnessed, and authorities have not disclosed whether statements from the girl form part of the case against Thompson. Because the investigation involves a minor who experienced a traumatic event, many details about her circumstances have remained outside the public record.
Officers went to Williams’ building shortly after 1:30 p.m. Sept. 6 after a relative requested a wellness check. Earlier news reports said the child answered the door when police arrived. Officers found Williams on a bed with trauma to her face and neck, CBS New York reported. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the apartment.
Residents of the building described Williams as reserved and often seen with her daughter. Neighbor Luz Perez told CBS New York that Williams kept to herself and was usually with the child. Another resident recalled occasionally hearing music or arguments from the apartment. Neighbors also reported seeing activity around Williams’ home before officers arrived, information investigators examined as they worked to identify a suspect.
Police sources described the investigation as domestic-related in the days before Thompson was charged. Williams’ relatives said she had been dating Thompson. The family’s memorial also drew domestic violence advocates, including Stephanie McGraw of WARM, who spoke about the need for communities to recognize patterns and warning signs of abuse.
Thompson surrendered Saturday at the 33rd Precinct accompanied by an attorney, according to published reports. Police later charged him with murder. As detectives escorted him from the station, relatives of Williams gathered behind barricades and shouted toward him. The emotional scene came after nearly a week in which the family had publicly called for answers in Williams’ death.
The case now moves through the criminal justice system while investigators continue working to establish the full sequence of events. Authorities had not publicly released further details Sunday about the evidence supporting the murder charge, a motive or the timing of Thompson’s next court proceedings. Williams’ family, meanwhile, continues to mourn a woman they say will be remembered foremost as a mother devoted to her daughter.
Author note: Last updated September 13, 2026.