CLEVELAND — A 31-year-old Cleveland man has been indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury after allegedly beating and tying up a 60-year-old woman, then stuffing her inside a plastic container at his west side home last week.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley says Dalontay Edmond-Geiger faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, felonious assault, having weapons under disability, and tampering with evidence.
“I have seen a lot of truly terrible cases over the years, and this one is one of the most horrific I’ve seen,” said O’Malley in a statement. “Thankfully, law enforcement found her alive, and I am praying for her recovery.”
According to a report from the Cleveland Division of Police, officers were called to a house in the 3100 block of West 97th Street at around 3:30 p.m. on May 2 for a call of a female "acting hysterical" and saying there was a woman tied up in the basement.
Police knocked on the door and a man later identified as Geiger told officers that he was a confidential informant (C.I.) and they needed to leave because they were "making this place hot." Initially, Geiger refused to allow police to search his home, but minutes later, he gave permission for officers to search the basement. Nothing but an air mattress was found at the scene.
Several hours later, officers interviewed a woman near the corner of West 97th and Lorain Avenue. The witness said "she knew everything," adding that "he killed her." After moving to a secure location, the witness told police that a few days earlier, she and Geiger, along with two other people, were stopped by vice officers on two separate occasions. That led Geiger to accuse the eventual victim of being a "snitch."
The female witness added that she had gone to Geiger's house to buy drugs. While at the scene, he told her that he killed the victim, adding that he zip-tied her, beat her, then stabbed her. He also showed the witness photos of what he had done to the victim. The witness told officers that the victim's face had been beaten so badly that her eyes were closed.
At midnight, police returned to Geiger's house on West 97th Street. Geiger agreed to allow officers to search the upstairs of his house, but added that police had to enter through the back door. One of the officers heard what "sounded like a heavy object being dragged across the enclosed front porch floor." Shortly after, police were allowed in through the back door.
While three officers searched the upstairs of the home, an officer in the living room with Geiger "thought he heard moaning." Every time the moan was heard, Geiger turned up the radio on his phone. Officers detailed Geiger, who eventually admitted that someone was on the front porch.
Police initially were unable to find the female victim, but Geiger told them that she was "in the tote." The woman was found "stuffed with her body folded inside the tote," while calling for help and saying she was "paralyzed and in pain." She was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center.
Bond was set for Geiger at $500,000 with arraignment scheduled for May 15.