Suspect in custody in Schaumburg strangulation case
Editor's note: Schaumburg police have arrested Bulmaro Mejia-Maya in connection with the strangulation death of Tiffany Thrasher. Click here for the latest news on the case.
A suspect is in custody in the murder of 33-year-old Tiffany Thrasher, who was found strangled Sunday in her Schaumburg apartment, police announced Wednesday.
A news release from the Schaumburg Police Department said only that the suspect is male.
It is still unclear whether he and Thrasher knew each other, Schaumburg police Sgt. Christy Lindhurst said.
The Schaumburg Police Department and surrounding agencies will continue their investigation with the Cook County state's attorney's office on the case.
Authorities will give more details at a news conference at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Schaumburg Police Department on Schaumburg Road.
Misty King, Thrasher's sister, released a statement on behalf of the family Wednesday.
“Our hearts are literally broken imagining what my sister went through in the last hours of her life,” King wrote. “She was truly a loving, happy person. ... Our family has full faith and confidence in God and the Schaumburg Police Department to see justice served to whomever committed this horrific crime.”
Officers discovered Thrasher's body Sunday after entering her Clipper Drive apartment in response to a request for a well-being check. An autopsy Monday determined Thrasher had been strangled and her death was ruled a homicide. Investigators believe the crime occurred sometime between 8 p.m. Saturday and 11:45 a.m. Sunday.
Police announced Tuesday that evidence indicated the killer entered Thrasher's apartment through an unlocked window and that Thrasher may have been sexually assaulted. Schaumburg police released the scene of the crime Wednesday.
A GoFundMe campaign established by Thrasher's sister reached its original $6,000 goal to cover cremation expenses — but that goal was raised to $9,500 as the family considers burial as an option, a family member said Wednesday. As of late Wednesday, the amount raised stood at $6,850 from 136 donors.
Heath King, Thrasher's brother-in-law, said any leftover money from the campaign would be donated to charity — those Thrasher was already associated with or one dedicated to women who are victims of crimes.
Comments on the GoFundMe page describe Thrasher as an animal-lover, Cubs fan, and dedicated member of her church.
Schaumburg police are reminding residents of some basic home security precautions, including locking all windows and doors and using a solid deadbolt lock with a minimum 1-inch throw.
Police also encourage residents to use a peep hole or window to see who is at a door before answering it. They suggest keeping trees and bushes around a house trimmed to avoid areas of concealment.
The Schaumburg Police Department recommends interior lighting be used to show signs of occupancy inside a residence at night, and front and rear external lights — optimally with a motion sensor.