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7 bodies found in blighted neighborhoods in N.W. Indiana. ‘Person of interest’ in custody. Man confesses to murders, leads police to the bodies of at least 7 women in Indiana
(about 3 hours later)
A gruesome string of killings apparently connected to the same man is unfolding in Northwest Indiana this morning. Police found the bodies of at least seven women in northwestern Indiana over the weekend, a gruesome string of killings apparently connected to the same man.
First there was a single body, found Friday night at a Motel 6 in Hammond, Indiana, a woman dead from strangulation. Hammond, Ind., police found the first body around 9:30 p.m. on Friday. The woman, identified as missing 19-year-old Afrika Hardy, was found strangled to death in a Motel 6 in the town.
When police picked up a man based on a tip for that crime, he led them to separate locations in Gary where they found three other female bodies, police told the Chicago, Tribune. When police picked up a man based on a tip for that crime, he confessed and led them to separate locations in Gary, Ind., where they found three other female bodies, police told the Chicago Tribune.
This morning, WLS-TV reports that another three bodies have been located in Hammond, possibly linked to the same 43-year-old man, bringing the total to seven. On Monday morning, WLS-TV reported that three more bodies were located in Hammond, possibly linked to the same 43-year-old man, bringing the total to seven.
Police aren’t naming him, other than to say he’s a “person of interest” in the string of killings. Police said the man is a “person of interest” in the string of killings, but they are not naming him until charges are filed.
Hammond Police Chief John Doughty told NBC 5 in Chicago that police were still investigating and would have more to say at a news conference Monday. It is unclear how many of the murders the man might have been involved in, and Hammond police scheduled a news conference on Monday at noon Central time to provide more information.
So far, only the name of two victims have been released. The first woman found was identified by police as Afrika Hardy. Another was named as Anith Jones, 35, whose family had reported her missing on Oct. 8. Some 30 Gary police officers had been searching for her and found her car sitting in the driveway of an abandoned house. A second victim was identified as Anith Jones, 35, whose family had reported her missing on Oct. 8. About 30 Gary police officers had been searching for her and found her car sitting in the driveway of an abandoned house.
NBC 5 said the areas where the bodies were found were mainly blighted, sometimes fire-damaged houses.NBC 5 said the areas where the bodies were found were mainly blighted, sometimes fire-damaged houses.
Amid the discoveries, the Mayor of Hammond, Thomas McDermott, Jr., put out a strange Facebook post. Amid the discoveries, the mayor of Hammond, Thomas McDermott, Jr., said in a Facebook post that the man was a “convicted sexual offender.”
For the past 2 weeks, the local & national media has been continuously bashing the Hammond PD. Despite the excellent job they have always done, making Hammond a safe suburb of Chicago’ south side, many have jumped on the “Hammond police bashing” bandwagon…..Despite this constant barrage of recent criticism, the job must go on for these officers to keep Hammond safe, and it has gone on. Yesterday, a murder case broke open that will be a huge news story. As you hear the details of this grisly murder in Hammond motel room, and discover how this murder was solved by our police, it will make you proud of the Hammond PD. They captured a murderer, from Gary, that is a suspect in many murders, spanning many years, in NWI. “The suspect gave up the location of a body in Gary that was confirmed found where he said it would be,” McDermott wrote. 
The first line was an apparent reference to a lawsuit against the Hammond police charging excessive force during a traffic stop. McDermott said police are also investigating the man’s ties to murders dating back 20 years or more.
According to NBC 5 in Chicago, Gary Cpl. Gabrielle King was trying to “defuse concerns” among citizens. “There are court records indicating that he was here back in 2004 [and] 2005, but there are also records that he was in Austin, Texas, and so he appears to be a person who has moved back and forth between a number of states,” said Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, according to NBC Chicago.
“We would like to dispel the rumor that there is a serial killer on the loose,” he said in a statement. “There is a 43-year-old man in the custody of The Hammond Police Department, who led officials to 3 deceased female victims who has claimed responsibility for their demise. Gary Police are closely working with Hammond Police to assist in covering every area of the investigation needed to pursue charges as expeditiously as possible,” the statement read. Gary officials are trying to allay fears that there is a serial killer at large in the community.
  “We would like to dispel the rumor that there is a serial killer on the loose,” Gary Police Cpl. Gabrielle King said in a statement, according to NBC 5 in Chicago. “There is a 43-year-old man in the custody of the Hammond Police Department, who led officials to 3 deceased female victims who has claimed responsibility for their demise. Gary Police are closely working with Hammond Police to assist in covering every area of the investigation needed to pursue charges as expeditiously as possible.”