11242015 - News Article - Hammond police fire officer ID'd as person of interest in Portage homicide

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11182015 - Tiara Thomas OIDV Murder, Portage Indiana - Gary/Hammond Indiana Police Officer Kevin Campbell Charged With Murder

Hammond police fire officer ID'd as person of interest in Portage homicide

NWI Times
Nov 24, 2015 

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond-police-fire-officer-id-d-as-person-of-interest/article_45f0da57-531f-5bec-a603-5baf19cf261b.html

PORTAGE | Hammond's police chief said Tuesday he fired a probationary officer who has been identified by authorities as a person of interest in a Portage homicide.

Police Chief John Doughty said the officer was put on leave and stripped of police powers Nov. 18 — the same day 30-year-old Tiara Thomas was shot multiple times inside her Portage apartment.

Doughty said the officer was placed on leave after Portage police informed Hammond police the man was a person of interest in the homicide investigation.

The man joined Hammond police Jan. 12 and was on probationary status until his termination Tuesday, Doughty said.

"During an internal review of recent conduct by (the officer), I have determined he is no longer a suitable candidate for our department," Doughty said.

Before joining the Hammond Police Department, the man worked for the Gary Police Department, Doughty said.

Doughty and Portage Police Chief Troy Williams have both identified the man, but The Times is not naming him because he has not been formally charged. He is not in custody, Williams said.

Williams said the former officer, a 31-year-old Hobart resident, is a person of interest because of his lack of cooperation with investigators.

"Our detectives are working feverishly to bring a resolution to this case," he said.

Williams said Tuesday there were no additional updates on the investigation.

A Freedom of Information Act request was filed Tuesday with Gary requesting information about the person of interest. The city's legal department has acknowledged the request, but has not yet provided information about the former officer.

Thomas was found covered in blood at about 7:30 a.m. Nov. 18 in her unit at Park Place Apartments, 5970 Old Porter Road. She was taken to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary, where she was pronounced dead at 8:21 a.m. from gunshot wounds.

Police on Thursday released a photo of a black Ford Explorer described as a vehicle of "special interest" in the investigation. Williams said at the time that detectives wanted to know if that vehicle was in the area of the apartment complex before or after the shooting.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call (219) 762-3122 and ask for Detective Capt. Joe Reynolds and Detective Lt. Dennis Meyers.