Man accused of fatally beating woman, leaving her in vacant lot: prosecutors

CHICAGO - A 33-year-old man is accused of beating a 38-year-old woman and leaving her to die in a vacant lot last week in Washington Park on the South Side.

Neighbors told police they first heard loud noises coming from Terrance Brown’s mother’s apartment about 2 a.m. Dec. 11, but it wasn’t until 3 a.m. that they looked out a window and saw Brown dragging a limp body to a vacant lot in the 5400 block of South Prairie Avenue, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

One neighbor called 9-1-1 and went outside to check the scene, and found Brown holding a cellphone and standing over the lifeless body of Tyese Williams, prosecutors said. She had tape wrapped around her eyes, ears, each hand and one ankle. Her nightgown was pulled around her body and her pants had been pulled down to the knees, according to prosecutors.

When police arrived on the scene shortly after, Brown walked back to his apartment, saying Williams was intoxicated before fleeing out a window, prosecutors said. A search of the apartment allegedly found a blood-soaked pillow, a bloody knife and blood spatters and smudges on the wall, along with a strong odor of bleach permeating the air.

Chicago police initially said Williams was found in the 4900 block of South Prairie Avenue.

An autopsy conducted by the Cook County medical examiner’s office said Williams died of blunt force injuries and ruled her death a homicide. The autopsy also found signs of strangulation around her neck and stab wounds to her back and hand.

Prosecutors say surveillance footage from the apartment building corroborates their telling of events.

Brown waived his Miranda Rights when he was arrested Wednesday in Garfield Park and told investigators that "Mexican cartel members" beat Williams up and took her to his mother’s apartment, prosecutors said.

He also said Williams, whom he claims to have dated, covered her own eyes and ears with tape, and that he took her outside because he didn’t want her to die in his mother’s apartment, prosecutors said. He allegedly said he didn’t call 9-1-1 because he didn’t think it was an emergency.

Brown was ordered held without bail on charges of first-degree murder, prosecutors said. He is due back in court Jan. 4.