A man accused of fatally assaulting Lovay Williams in her apartment in Washington Heights was initially turned away when he attempted to surrender to the New York Police Department (NYPD) earlier this month, according to multiple accounts and police officials.

Tiliek Shamel Thompson and two of his cousins arrived at the 33rd Precinct stationhouse around 5 a.m. on September 11, five days after Williams was found dead. Thompson sought to turn himself in connection with the homicide, but officers on duty did not take him into custody at that time.

Thompson’s attorney, Neville Onielle Dexter Mitchell, stated that the cousins informed officers that they were there in relation to Williams’ death and that police were seeking Thompson. According to Mitchell, the responding officer said he had just returned from vacation and claimed there was no one available to process them. The group was ultimately turned away without Thompson being detained.

An NYPD spokeswoman later responded that a review of the station’s audio and video recordings painted a different picture. The spokeswoman said the family members did not explicitly tell the officer that authorities were searching for Thompson. She added the officer misunderstood the situation, believing the three visitors were relatives of the victim rather than suspects, and passed that information to his supervisor. The officer referenced his recent vacation as context for being unfamiliar with developments in the investigation. The spokeswoman noted the officer gave one cousin a phone number for detectives and discharged the group from the precinct.

Following this encounter, Thompson returned the next evening and successfully turned himself in. He was subsequently charged with murder in connection with Williams’ death.

Williams, 27, was discovered with severe trauma to her face and neck inside her apartment on West 156th Street on September 6. The 7-year-old daughter found with her was unharmed, family members confirmed. Relatives have said Williams and Thompson were dating at the time of the incident.

The handling of Thompson’s initial surrender attempt sparked criticism among current and former NYPD officers. One officer expressed outrage, stating that if Thompson had stated his intent to turn himself in, he should have been taken into custody immediately rather than allowed to leave the precinct.

The investigation into Williams’ death remains active as authorities continue to review evidence. Thompson remains in custody awaiting legal proceedings.