Man Charged With Strangling Girlfriend At Hammond Motel
HAMMOND, Ind. (CBS) -- A 33-year-old Minnesota man has been charged with strangling his girlfriend at a northwest Indiana motel where they were staying while visiting for a graduation party.
Gregory DeShawn Rainer, 33, and his girlfriend, 38-year-old Shannon Morrison, were visiting Hammond, Ind., from St. Paul, Minn., over the weekend for a graduation party, according to court documents and Hammond police.
They checked in to the Super 8 at 4111 Calumet Ave. in Hammond on Saturday, according to court documents.
Rainer, who suffers from schizophrenia, called his mother that night and told her, "They're following me. They're following me. They won't stop," according to court documents. He also told her he thought he had hurt Morrison.
He told her, "I don't know why I did it, but I think Shannon is hurt. You need to see if she is OK."
Rainer's mother called the Super 8 to check on Morrison about 10:15 p.m., according to the affidavit.
Officers responded to the motel and along with security personnel, discovered Morrison unresponsive on a bed. An autopsy found she died of strangulation.
Ritter was arrested in St. Paul and charged with murder, according to Hammond police. He is being held there pending extradition to Indiana.
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