EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Police have arrested three of six people wanted in connection to the kidnapping, torture and death of a missing North Randall woman who was possibly found in a burned-out basement of a home on Savannah Avenue in East Cleveland Tuesday night.
Police Chief Scott Gardner provided an update on this case Wednesday afternoon. Watch it in the media player below:
Gardner called the case “horrific” and said his heart goes out to Pointer’s family.
“This is not something that you would want any parent to go through, and we empathize with that 100 percent,” he said.
Police said they received a tip around 3:51 p.m. that the body of Alishah Pointer, 22, was in a basement in the 14500 block of Savannah Avenue.
Police said a body was found but they are waiting for the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office to make a final determination of the identification of the body.
Pointer was last seen on Nov. 4 in Cleveland. She was reported missing by family on Nov. 5.
Police said one of the wanted individuals turned himself in at the urging request of his mother. Another wanted person has been identified by police as Hakeem Shomo.
Gardner said a total of six individuals are involved in Pointer's disappearance and death, including a 17-year-old girl. Gardner said Wednesday that the identities of the other wanted individuals would be released at another time.
Gardner said a group of individuals kidnapped a resident in East Cleveland as a way for the resident to lure out Pointer. Police confirmed Pointer was tortured in an attempt by those allegedly involved to get information relative to another crime that occurred in Cleveland.
A source said that crime was the deadly shooting of a man last week.
"We don't even know if the victim actually knew that information," said Gardner, "but purportedly these people thought that she did and that's why she was abducted."
Pointer was transported to at least two different locations and finally to a home on Savannah Avenue where she was killed, Gardner said.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Shomo, pictured above, contact authorities below:
East Cleveland Detective Police 216-451-1234
Cleveland FBI - 1-877-FBI-OHIO
Cuyahoga County Crime Stoppers 216-252-7463
