Two Canton women, a mother and daughter, are facing murder charges after 54-year-old Jerry L. Morris was found dead in Akron, with Canton Municipal Court setting the arraignment for Yolanda R. Lowery, 54, one of the accused, on Thursday, as reported by Cleveland19. Dorothy Lowery, 70, alongside her daughter, has been accused of assisting in the murder; both are currently held at Stark County Jail.
According to a Canton police complaint cited by the Akron Beacon Journal, Yolanda allegedly caused the death of Morris by striking him numerous times, while Dorothy is accused of putting the victim in a chokehold; the autopsy reports indicated that Morris died of multiple blunt-force injuries with Canton and Akron police determining the murder took place in Canton. Morris' body was found on Aug. 1 outside a vacant house on the 100 block of Lake Street in Akron.
After ongoing investigations, both women were arrested on October 21 by the Canton police with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Task Force, as noted by WKYC. The Canton Police Department has urged anyone with additional information related to the case to contact their Detective Bureau or to submit anonymous tips through Tip411 or Stark County Crime Stoppers.
The motive behind the alleged murder, and the specifics of the events leading up to Morris' death, have not been released by officials, leaving unanswered questions surrounding this family-involved homicide. The investigation remains ongoin,g with Yolanda's pre-trial proceedings taking a public step forward this Thursday. Canton police encourage the community's help in bringing more light to this somber case, reflecting yet again on the dark potentialities that lie within human relations, no matter the familial bond.
