Maurice Lyons was indicted by a grand jury Monday on charges of aggravated murder, kidnapping and endangering children in the July 25th murder of his wife, Tonya Hunter, a highly respected, Cleveland-area marriage counselor.
The 38-year-old man also faces a litany of other indictments - tampering with evidence, misuse of credit cards, domestic violence, disrupting public service, intimidation of a crime victim and telecommunications harassment.
Unfortunately, the couple had dug themselves in to a financial hole and were in dire straits with creditors.
On that fateful day of murder in the detached garage of their home, a violent argument ensued between the couple, and the child was ordered to get in to the car.
Lyons reportedly demanded money, which Hunter refused to give him. In retaliation, Lyons viciously stabbed his wife a total of 17 times then stole her credit cards, covered her with plastic, left her in the garage and took the car with the boy still in the back seat. The child was abandoned on a Cleveland street corner.
According to police reports, Lyons went to his mother's house on the day of the murder and changed clothing. He then went to a Walgreens and gas station, using Hunter's credit cards to make the purchases. Lyons was arrested just one day after the murder in front of a major Cleveland shopping area.
Currently Lyons is being held on an $8-million bond and is expected to face arraignment on Thursday.
http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/08/10/prosecutor-husband-of-ohio-marriage-counselor-faces-death-penal/
The Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office gives this account of Hunter's last days
Lyons assaulted Hunter, 42, at their Walden Avenue home July 13 and prevented her from calling police. He took the phone away from her and threatened her, but Hunter did contact police and Lyons was charged with felony domestic violence, his second offense.
Five days later, Lyons assaulted Hunter in her driveway. He then called her repeatedly for two days, making more threats.
On July 25, Lyons confronted Hunter as she was leaving her house with her 4-year-old son. The child got into the back seat of Hunter's car and listened as she and Lyons argued.
Lyons demanded money and started stabbing Hunter. He stabbed the marriage counselor 17 times. He then covered her body with plastic in the garage and left with her credit cards and car.
He abandoned the boy near East 28th Street and Cedar Road and drove to his mother's house, where he changed out of his bloody clothes.
He used Hunter's credit cards at a Walgreen store and a gas station before Cleveland police arrested him July 26 in front of Tower City.
Lyons first assaulted and intimidated his wife March 26. He was sentenced to 80 days in jail, two years of probation and fined $300. On June 17, he was drug tested and ordered to wear a GPS monitor.
He tested positive for cocaine and failed to get the monitor from the probation department. He then failed to appear in Cleveland Municipal Court June 22 and an arrest warrant was issued with a special alert that police arrest him as soon as possible.
A court official lost the arrest order and Lyons remained free to attack his wife July 13. An arrest warrant was issued again July 19 and sent to Cleveland police. Hunter was killed six days later.
Lyons' other convictions in Cleveland Municipal Court include disorderly conduct while intoxicated, having an open container, littering and loud noise in 2005, when he lived in the 3200 block of West 31st Street.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/08/husband_stabbed_tonya_hunter_1.html
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