Police said they found a woman drowned in a Clarksville, Tennessee, bathtub at the hands of her boyfriend, who has a history of domestic violence.
Demetris Merriweather was arrested and charged with criminal homicide in the death of Capitolla Cross.
Cross was originally from Jacksonville, according to family, but had moved to Tennessee.
Loved ones have been honoring Cross on social media, sharing pictures of happier times and expressing outrage toward Merriweather.
According to the arrest warrant, police said Merriweather told someone that he had killed Cross.
Police then found that she had drowned in the bathtub in the Tennessee home where she was living.
Records showed Merriweather had a history of abuse against Cross.
In March, Cross told police Merriweather strangled her after a heated argument.
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Cross said she was “gasping for air and the blood vessels in her left eye broke,” something that was shown in a photo posted by a loved one on Facebook.
Merriweather was arrested for assault but bonded out a day later.
He was ordered to stay away from Cross.
“It appears that the signs were there,” Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said. “Based on his rap sheet and the fear that this woman had, he should have been incarcerated much longer and that goes to the judicial system.”
There were not any restraining orders filed against Merriweather in the Montgomery, Tennessee, court system.
Jefferson said domestic violence victims are often too afraid or are manipulated by their abusers.
“They’ll listen to the defendant say over and over again 'I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. Give me another chance. I promise you I’ll change' and a lot of times, they’re influenced not to proceed with a restraining order.”
Cox Media Group
