Domestic Violence Suspected in Slaying of Tyler Woman, Daughter
Staff photo by Herb Nygren Jr.
Kathleen McCowin, left, mother and grandmother of the two victims, and Rewa Porter, sister and aunt, are pictured at their house in Tyler talking today about the murder of their family members last week.
By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer
Surrounded by family and friends in her Tyler home, Kathleen McCowin talked about her daughter and granddaughter, who were stabbed to death last week, and the man accused of killing them.
Staff Writer
Surrounded by family and friends in her Tyler home, Kathleen McCowin talked about her daughter and granddaughter, who were stabbed to death last week, and the man accused of killing them.
She also stressed that women should report domestic violence to authorities and not just tell family members.
Ms. McCowin’s 38-year-old daughter Nitalya Tilley and her 17-year-old granddaughter Twaleshia Jones, a Troup High School student, were found stabbed to death in a Lancaster, Texas apartment Friday afternoon.
Tilley’s boyfriend, Willie Frank Wilson Sr., 52, remains behind bars in Desoto charged with two counts of capital murder.
Tilley had just graduated school in Dallas, where she studied to be a medical assistant. It was while she was in Dallas that she met Wilson six months ago, but Tilley’s family said they had only met him once.
However, Ms. McCowin said her daughter called her multiple times describing an abusive relationship, including an incident where Wilson allegedly choked her until she blacked out.
Courtesy photo
Willie Frank Wilson Sr.
“I pleaded with her for the last month to leave him because he was becoming more and more violent. He threatened to kill her several times,” she said of the killings.
As Ms. McCowin spoke of the slayings that shook the family, others listened and agreed with her message about domestic abuse.
“I hope that women will learn from this. If they are being abused, then tell the police or some authority instead of just talking to your family,” she said. “I wish my daughter would have done this.”
Police in Lancaster say Wilson had initially reported he came home from work and found the bodies on the living room floor in the 4100 block of Edwards Street.
“He was questioned as part of the investigation on Friday and after some forensic results came back, he was arrested Tuesday for the murders,” said Cicely Hickmon, Lancaster community relations coordinator.
Hickmon added that it was believed that Tilley was leaving Wilson and moving back to Tyler to be with her family.
Ms. McCowin said the worst part of the tragedy was that her granddaughter had only gone to visit her mother.
“He gave the lame reason for killing my daughter because she was leaving him, but what about that baby? She didn’t do anything but go visit her mother,” she said. “She was just starting her life.”
Police say that the women died from multiple stab wounds and the medical examiner has ruled the cause of death as a homicide with multiple sharp force injuries.
“We want the citizens to know this was an isolated incident,” Lancaster Police Chief Keith Humphrey said. “It’s a tragic incident.”
Ms. McCowin said there will be a memorial for Twaleshia at the Mary Memorial Church of God in Christ in Troup at 2 p.m. Friday.
“She had been in Troup since she was about 7, so we wanted all of her friends to be able to remember her,” she said.
On Saturday at 3 p.m. at the North Star Missionary Baptist Church, a double service for the mother and her daughter will be held.
“It has been a shock that we lost not just one, but two of our loved ones,” Ms. McCowin said.
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