An Ohio woman reportedly told loved ones about a male neighbor stalking her before he allegedly stabbed her to death and set her house ablaze—killing her 8-year-old daughter.
Police temporarily detained Dominique C. Swopes, 27, in connection with the November 20 incident that left Rebecca Pletnewski, 41, and Olivia Schneider dead. He was arrested for their deaths on November 23, after friends and family claimed the intensive care nurse expressed concern that Swopes was stalking her, according to WJW.
“He just apparently had left her notes occasionally or talked to her outside. There were other advancements made through maybe social media, and she told him she didn’t want anything to do with him, she had a boyfriend,” Mayfield Heights Police Chief Frank Bittner said.
The Mayfield-Hillcrest Patch reported that Pletnewski was found dead in her home. Schneider was rushed to the hospital where she reportedly succumbed to smoke inhalation.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner found that Pletnewski was dead before the fire was set. They determined she died from “cervical compression with sharp force injuries,” meaning she was stabbed in the spine.
WJW reported that those close to Pletnewski told police that she was concerned about Swopes’ stalking for months before her death. Swopes is charged with aggravated murder and aggravated arson following the mother and daughter’s deaths.
Reports indicated that Pletnewski’s 4-year-old daughter wasn’t home at the time of the fire.
[Featured Image: Rebecca Pletnewski, Olivia Schneider/GoFundMe]