Allen Oscar Woods was convicted of murdering his ex-wife, Tiffany Woods, nearly two years after she was shot and killed on a Hammond street. Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter announced the verdict.
Woods was convicted in Lake Superior Court of murder and a firearm enhancement, as reported by Region News Source, which said sentencing was scheduled. The case stems from the shooting death of Tiffany Woods near Jackson Avenue and Cleveland Street in Hammond on December 27, 2024. Carter commented on the verdict and the prosecution's work.
A Chase Down a Hammond Street
Hammond police responded to the area of Cleveland Street and Jackson Avenue after reports of a man chasing and shooting at a woman, according to the probable cause affidavit cited by Region News Source. Officers found Tiffany Woods suffering from fatal gunshot wounds, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses told investigators they saw Allen Woods chasing Tiffany south while opening fire, and that he fired at her again on Cleveland Street, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
Woods was not immediately caught. The U.S. Marshals arrested him in Chicago several days after the shooting, and he pleaded not guilty, the Tribune reported. The U.S. Marshals Service said at the time that Woods had been charged in Lake Criminal Court with the shooting death of his ex-wife.
A History of Threats Before the Killing
Court filings reviewed by the Tribune show Woods had already been through the legal system over his treatment of Tiffany Woods before her death. He received probation in December 2023 in two separate stalking cases that followed their 2021 divorce, which he had initiated. An affidavit cited in that reporting alleged that in February 2022, Woods threatened to fly from Texas to “shoot up” her Hammond home and “kill everyone inside.”
Investigators ultimately built their case on witness statements, surveillance footage, and other evidence that led to Woods's arrest and prosecution. A Lake County jury found him guilty of murder and the firearm enhancement following that investigation.
Prosecutors Credit Investigators and Forensic Experts
Carter thanked Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Arturo Balcazar and Shannon Phillips for their work on the case, along with Victim/Witness Assistant Caitlin Dziewicki for her support of the family during the judicial process. The investigation also involved Hammond Police Department personnel and other law enforcement officers.
Numerous Hammond officers and investigators were recognized for their work on the case. Forensic personnel and agencies also contributed to the case. Carter discussed the investigative work involved in the prosecution.
