Police are looking for the boyfriend of a young woman who was killed Friday night in Prince George’s County in what police are calling a domestic-related murder.
Moyonna Tillman was shot and killed in her own neighborhood in Clinton. She was 24.
Authorities have a warrant for the arrest of James Kirkland, whose photo they shared Monday. Anyone who sees Kirkland is asked to call 911.
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Police did not say what exactly may have led to Tillman’s death, only that it was domestic-related.
Mercedes Lemp is executive director of My Sister’s Place in D.C., an organization dedicated to sheltering, supporting and empowering survivors of domestic violence.
She said domestic violence has risen because of the pandemic.
“The added stressors of being confined to your home, people not being able to get out, the stress of people losing jobs, the stress of having the kids at home” could all be contributing factors, Lemp said.
In Loudoun County, a man was charged in connection with a hammer attack on his wife in Sterling on Sept. 19. She died a week later.
The victim in that case had a protective order against her husband at the time of the attack.
Lemp said survivors may feel even more alone now, so advocates want to make sure they know help and resources are never far away.
She said it’s important for those who find themselves in harm’s way to have a plan, including asking themselves where they could go at the drop of the hat to ensure their safety.
Stress added to an already toxic relationship and the availability of guns can lead to tragedy, Lemp added.
“I think the first thing is to share what’s going on with somebody that you’re close to, whether it be a family member or a friend or somebody at work,” she said.
