CLEVELAND — The 18-year-old woman who is facing murder and aggravated murder charges for last month's shooting death of Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek, has also been indicted for her role in two unrelated armed robberies.
On Wednesday, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a grand jury returned a 10-count indictment against Tamara McLoyd for several robberies in Northeast Ohio last November. 18-year-old Jada Hite was also indicted by the grand jury.
According to investigators, on November 2 at 9:35 p.m., Jada Hite and an unknown male approached a 22-year-old victim from behind on Bunts Road in Lakewood. Hite pressed a gun to the victim’s back and proceeded to rob the victim taking a debit card, a cell phone, jewelry, and $105 in cash. Afterward, Hite and the unknown male fled the scene in Hite’s vehicle.
Later that evening at 10:54 p.m., Hite, Tamara McLoyd (five days after being placed on probation for a home invasion robbery in Lorain County by Judge Frank Janik), and an unknown male used Hite’s vehicle to drive to Happy’s Pizza on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland. Once arriving, they entered through a back door as two employees were closing the restaurant. The suspects approached the employees with two guns and demanded the employees open the drawers. The unknown male struck one victim multiple times in the head with the gun. Afterward, McLoyd, Hite, and the unknown male stole $300 out of the register, then forced the employees to the back office where the unknown male struck both victims with the gun.
Additionally, McLoyd, Hite, and the unknown male stole a handgun and car keys from the employees before fleeing the scene.
Also, on that same evening at 11:49 p.m., McLoyd and an unknown male approached a 58-year-old woman as she was walking home near Lee Road and Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights. They held the victim at gunpoint and stole her purse. Afterward, Jada Hite drove McLoyd and the unknown male away in her vehicle. A nearby Cleveland Heights police officer witnessed the incident and saw McLoyd and the unknown male run to the vehicle, enter the vehicle, and speed off before being flagged down by the victim on scene. After searching the area and locating the vehicle, the Cleveland Heights police officer attempted to pull them over and they continued to flee.
On November 4 at 9:34 p.m., Hite and an unknown male approached a victim on Edgewater Drive in Lakewood, robbing them at gunpoint and taking $60 in cash, a cell phone, a pair of earrings, and a bottle of wine. Afterward, Hite and the unknown male fled the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Tamara McLoyd has been indicted for two of the above incidents on the following charges:
- Two counts of Felonious Assault
- Four counts of Aggravated Robbery
- Two counts of Kidnapping
- One count of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle
- One count of Having Weapons Under Disability
Jada Hite has been indicted for all the above incidents on the following charges:
- Two counts of Felonious Assault
- Six counts of Aggravated Robbery
- Two counts of Kidnapping
- One count of Failure To Comply
- One count of Improperly Handling Firearms In A Motor Vehicle
McLoyd and Hite will be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center at a later date.
Tamara McLoyd is alleged to have shot and killed Officer Bartek during a carjacking that occurred on New Year's Eve in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 4300 block of Rocky River Drive. While Officer Bartek was off-duty at the time, it was ultimately ruled that his death occurred in the line of duty. O'Malley's office filed ten charges against McLoyd for the incident, including two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated murder. Bond for McLoyd was set at $5 million.
Funeral services and burial for Officer Bartek were held on Tuesday.
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- Tamara McLoyd indicted on 10 charges in murder of Cleveland Police Officer Shane Bartek
- Timeline: Police report outlines what happened in chase after deadly shooting of Cleveland officer Shane Bartek
- 'A senseless act of violence': Cleveland city officials rule fatal shooting of police officer Shane Bartek as a line of duty death