CLEVELAND — Jury deliberations will begin Wednesday morning in the trial of Tamara McLoyd. She is accused of robbing and killing Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek during a carjacking on New Year’s Eve, 2021.
McLoyd’s defense team says the state hasn’t proven who the killer is. The prosecution says McLoyd admitted in her interrogation that she robbed and shot Bartek. But her defense says his client was drunk and high at the time.
“Let’s call him who he was. Officer Shane Bartek, Badge 18, and through your verdict call her what she is, Tamara McLoyd, aggravated robber, aggravated murderer— guilty,” said prosecutor Kevin Filiatraut.
The prosecution says this case is about choices and the consequences of choices by McLoyd that resulted in Bartek dying.
During closing arguments, the prosecutor said officer Bartek gave what he had to McLoyd, his car keys and his cell phone and his life trying to defend himself, calling what happened on New Year’s Eve at the Cross Creek Apartment parking lot purposeful and cold blooded.
“That’s no accident, especially when the first shot is here in the air and the second shot is here to the man’s back, side, whatever. One might be an accident. Two, pointed straight at the man's, purpose,” said Filiatraut.
The defense says the question here is who did this.
“It’s a lack of her DNA, lack of scientific evidence, lack of witnesses,” said Jaye Schlachet, McLoyd’s defense attorney.
“She literally told you on camera she is the shooter—she said it in two separate jail calls. Two,” said Filiatraut.
“You’re going to have to decide if Tamara McLoyd’s interview with police after she’d just been getting drunk and high was truthful, comprehensive, valid and correct,” said Schlachet.
Six days before the Bartek killing, a man was carjacked at the same complex on Christmas day.
The prosecution pointed to McLoyd’s Instagram account saying her direct messages prove she was the Christmas Day carjacker and is seen in selfie videos wearing similar clothing and in a similar car.
Bartek’s grandmother, aunt and cousin watched from the overflow room with several Cleveland police officers and detectives.
At one point, you can hear Bartek’s family sobbing.
“She just shot a man. She gets rid of the car, changes her clothes and she still rings in the New Year at the bar,” said Filiatraut.
The jury will return at 9 a.m. Wednesday to begin deliberations.
Closing arguments
Due to technical issues, News 5 was unable to stream the prosecution's first closing argument. In the video player below, you can watch the closing argument from the defense, then a final closing argument from the prosecution.
Prior trial coverage
View coverage of previous days of the trial below:
Tamara McLoyd DNA on handgun marked as evidence in police officer killing
View continuing coverage of the Shane Bartek case here.
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
