Westland police say man accused of killing 41-year-old ex-girlfriend is in custody

Mother of victim says she was trying to escape domestic abuse

WESTLAND, Mich. – Police said a man suspected of killing his 41-year-old girlfriend is in custody after barricading himself inside a trailer in a Westland mobile home park.

UPDATE: Man barricades himself in trailer after killing ex-girlfriend in Westland, police say

The victim, identified as Tabitha Cornwall, was in a Jeep Grand Cherokee and police believe she was trying to flee when she was shot and killed around 12:06 a.m. Wednesday (June 29).

When police arrived they discovered Cornwall dead inside the vehicle. The suspect, her ex-boyfriend, barricaded himself in a neighboring trailer for several hours. Police said they were able to convince him to exit voluntarily and he is now in custody.

The incident took place at a mobile home park on Glenwood Road near Wayne Road.

Cornwall’s mother, Diane Smith, said her daughter was trying to escape a domestic violence situation.

“She would give anybody the shirt off her back she would do anything she could for anybody. Nobody’s perfect, but she was close to perfect,” Smith said.

Cornwall is the mother of two adult children. They are 25 and 23 years old.

Original: Woman shot and killed in Westland

Tabitha Cornwall (WDIV)

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Nick joined the Local 4 team in February of 2015. Prior to that he spent 6 years in Sacramento covering a long list of big stories including wildfires and earthquakes. Raised in Sterling Heights, he is no stranger to the deep history and pride Detroit has to offer.

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