Part 1
On March 17, 2019, 29-year-old Tatcha Jerome Washington Thompson was 8 months pregnant and 3 weeks away from her due date. That morning she attended a routine prenatal appointment. The baby’s heartbeat was strong. There were no complications. At 10:15 a.m., she texted her sister, “Three more weeks. I’m so ready.”
By sunset, she and her unborn daughter were dead.
To understand what happened that afternoon, it is necessary to go back years earlier, before the arguments, before the boundaries, before the escalation that ended in violence.
Tatcha Jerome Washington was born in July 1989 in Lansing, Michigan. She was the middle of three daughters. Her mother, Patricia Washington, worked double shifts as a nurse. Her father, Jerome Washington, delivered mail for 30 years. Sundays followed a routine. Jerome rose early, cooked breakfast, and played records by Jimmy Cliff. Tatcha did her homework at the kitchen table while her father sang along off-key.
Jerome Washington died in 2014 at age 56 from a heart attack while at work. Tatcha was 25. She kept his vinyl collection and continued the Sunday ritual alone.
She graduated from Wayne State University in 2011 with a degree in elementary education and was hired that same year at Riverside Elementary, teaching third grade. Parents described her as attentive and patient. She stayed after school to help struggling students and bought shoes for one child whose father was incarcerated. One parent wrote in a review that she truly saw their child.
Darnell Thompson’s upbringing was different. Born in October 1987 in East Detroit, he was an only child. His father left when he was 6 years old. The divorce was finalized in 1994 after Darnell’s mother, Claudette Thompson, discovered her husband had been having an affair. He moved to Atlanta. Child support stopped. Birthday calls eventually stopped as well.
Claudette raised Darnell alone. She worked as an office manager at a medical billing company, sometimes taking weekend shifts. She drove him to basketball practice at 6:00 a.m., packed his lunches, and attended every game. Over time, her devotion took on a different tone. She often told him, “It’s you and me. We don’t need anyone else.”
Friends later described a change in her personality after the divorce. She became rigid and controlling. She involved herself in Darnell’s decisions—his classes, friends, relationships. When he dated, she found fault in the women. One girlfriend was “not ambitious enough.” Another was “after his money.” When he considered proposing to a third woman in 2011, Claudette discouraged it until the relationship ended.
In August 2013, Darnell met Tatcha at a mutual friend’s barbecue in Dearborn. They spoke for 3 hours. Three days later, he called her. She later told her sister she knew he was different because he called instead of texting.
On December 29, 2013, Tatcha took Darnell to watch the Detroit Lions play the Green Bay Packers. The Packers won 31–24. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 3 touchdowns. Darnell, who had never cared about football, became invested. Tatcha supported the Dallas Cowboys and teased him about choosing the Packers. It became a shared joke.
They married in June 2016 in a small ceremony attended by 40 guests. During the reception, when asked how she felt about gaining a daughter-in-law, Claudette replied, “We’ll see how it goes.”
Tatcha and Darnell moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Southfield, Michigan. In September 2017, they purchased a house at 2847 Fairview Drive. It had three bedrooms and a small yard. Tatcha painted the kitchen yellow. Darnell installed new fixtures. They argued over furniture and compromised by buying both a sectional and a recliner.
In November 2017, Tatcha persuaded Darnell to adopt a dog from a local shelter. They chose a 3-year-old Labrador mix and named him Booker, after Booker T. Washington. Booker slept at the foot of their bed and followed Tatcha through the house. Darnell referred to him as Tatcha’s shadow.
In July 2018, Tatcha discovered she was pregnant. Darnell hit his head on a cabinet in surprise when she told him. They prepared immediately. They painted the nursery yellow and assembled a crib in February 2019. In December 2018, they learned they were expecting a girl. They named her Zara Tatcha Thompson.
By March 2019, Tatcha was 8 months pregnant. The hospital bag was packed. The car seat was installed. Darnell had arranged 2 weeks of paternity leave. Her students made cards for the baby and taped them to the refrigerator.
Throughout their relationship, Claudette’s hostility toward Tatcha had grown.
From their first meeting in 2014, interactions were strained. Claudette criticized Tatcha’s age, described her as controlling, and suggested she was changing Darnell. After the engagement, Claudette did not attend the engagement party and sent a card with only her signature.
After the marriage, phone calls increased in frequency. Claudette began showing up unannounced. She commented on their décor and texted Darnell that Tatcha was trying to replace her.
When they announced the pregnancy in July 2018, Claudette responded with a single word: “Oh.” Later that night she texted Darnell, “A baby won’t fix whatever’s missing in your marriage.”
Over the next months, incidents accumulated. She questioned whether Tatcha was “really showing.” She bought baby clothes without consulting them and insisted she had a right as the grandmother. She suggested Darnell open a separate bank account “just in case.” At Christmas dinner in December 2018, Tatcha was served a cold plate of food while others received hot meals.
In February 2019, Claudette called Tatcha directly and asked whether Darnell really wanted the baby. Tatcha ended the call shaking. She told Darnell that his mother would not be allowed at the hospital during the birth.
On March 12, 2019, Darnell informed his mother that she would not be present for the delivery and that boundaries needed to be respected. Claudette replied, “You’re choosing her over me.” Darnell responded, “I’m choosing my family.” Claudette hung up.
For 5 days, there was silence.
On March 17, 2019, that silence ended.
That morning, Darnell left for work at 9:45 a.m. Ring doorbell footage captured his truck pulling out of the driveway. At 10:30 a.m., Tatcha texted him, “Don’t forget to pick up dog food on way home.” He replied, “Got it. Love you.” It was their final exchange.
At 12:10 p.m., neighbor Elena Rodriguez, age 67, saw a silver Honda Accord pull into the driveway of 2847 Fairview Drive. She recognized the vehicle as Claudette Thompson’s. She watched as Claudette approached the front door. Tatcha appeared surprised but allowed her inside.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., Rodriguez heard raised voices from across the street, followed by a loud crash. Then silence.
Inside the house, an argument escalated. According to later forensic reconstruction, Claudette stood near the fireplace and Tatcha near the couch. At some point, Tatcha told her to leave. When Tatcha moved toward the front door, Claudette grabbed her arm. Defensive scratches were later found on Claudette’s wrist.
Claudette pushed her.
Eight months pregnant, Tatcha lost her balance. Her hip struck the sharp edge of the coffee table, snapping off a corner. She fell face-first onto the floor. The impact caused severe abdominal trauma and placental abruption. The fetus began losing oxygen immediately.
Medical testimony later established that at this point, emergency intervention might have saved both mother and child.
Instead of calling 911, Claudette remained.
Tatcha, still conscious, reached toward her phone. Claudette took a throw pillow from the couch and pressed it over her face.
The struggle lasted approximately 90 seconds. Scratches on Claudette’s forearms and mixed blood later found in the kitchen sink confirmed resistance. The cause of death was asphyxiation. Zara died in utero from oxygen deprivation.
Booker was present in the room. Neighbors later reported hearing persistent barking around 2:00 p.m.
At approximately 3:45 p.m., ring doorbell footage showed Claudette exiting the house, looking around, and leaving in her vehicle.
From 3:50 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., Tatcha’s body remained on the living room floor. Booker stayed beside her.
At 6:30 p.m., Darnell returned home and found his wife unresponsive. He called 911. Paramedics arrived within 8 minutes. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Homicide Detective Lisa Monroe arrived at 7:15 p.m. There were no signs of forced entry. Nothing was stolen. The body position and petechial hemorrhaging indicated smothering.
Darnell was questioned. His employer confirmed he had been at work from 10:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Phone GPS data supported the alibi.
The investigation shifted elsewhere.
On March 19, when Claudette entered the house to console her son, Booker reacted violently. He growled, lunged, and had to be restrained. He did not behave this way toward police, paramedics, or Tatcha’s family.
The behavior repeated each time Claudette approached.
Detective Monroe documented the response and consulted Dr. Terrence Blake, a veterinary behaviorist with experience in K-9 trauma response. Blake explained that dogs form scent-based fear associations during traumatic events. If Booker had witnessed violence involving Claudette, her scent could trigger an automatic defensive response.
On March 23, Claudette appeared for a voluntary interview. She initially claimed she had been at work all day. Her supervisor stated she had left from 11:45 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
A photo lineup shown to Elena Rodriguez resulted in immediate identification of Claudette as the woman at the house that afternoon.
Claudette then admitted she had stopped by but claimed it was only for 20 minutes.
Forensic results followed.
Her fingerprints were found on the broken coffee table piece recovered from the trash. Mixed DNA from Tatcha and Claudette was found in the kitchen sink drain. Blue cotton fibers matching a navy cardigan found in Claudette’s closet were present on Tatcha’s body. Soil from Claudette’s shoes matched soil from inside the living room.
Cell tower data placed her phone near Fairview Drive between 12:08 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. During that time, she conducted internet searches including “How long can someone survive without oxygen?” and “What happens if you don’t call 911?”
On March 25, officers executed an arrest warrant. Claudette was found packing a suitcase containing her passport, $8,500 in cash withdrawn the previous day, and a one-way ticket to Caracas, Venezuela.
She was charged with first-degree murder, homicide of a viable fetus, tampering with evidence, and obstruction of justice.
The case proceeded to trial in September 2019 in Wayne County Court before Judge Maryanne Foster.
The prosecution presented forensic evidence, medical testimony confirming asphyxiation, neighbor identification, phone data, and evidence of attempted flight.
Dr. Blake testified regarding canine scent memory and trauma association. In a controlled courthouse hallway procedure, Booker walked calmly past 4 women and reacted only to Claudette, exhibiting the same rigid posture and low growl documented previously.
Claudette testified in her own defense, claiming Tatcha fell and that she panicked. Under cross-examination, prosecutors confronted her with the internet searches, forensic findings, and concealment attempts.
On October 3, 2019, the jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts.
At sentencing on November 15, 2019, Tatcha’s family delivered victim impact statements. Darnell stated he had lost his wife, his daughter, and his mother.
Judge Foster imposed mandatory life imprisonment without parole on both counts, to run concurrently.
Claudette Thompson remains incarcerated at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Her appeal was denied in March 2020.
Darnell later established a foundation in Tatcha and Zara’s name to support children who have lost mothers to violence. Booker underwent behavioral therapy and now serves as a therapy dog.
On March 17 each year, Tatcha’s family holds a memorial and awards a scholarship in her name to education majors.
The case was closed on November 15, 2019.
Booker, who could not speak, had reacted consistently and specifically from the first day after the murder. Investigators treated that reaction as circumstantial evidence, combined with forensic findings, timeline reconstruction, and documented searches.
The violence that occurred inside 2847 Fairview Drive lasted approximately 90 seconds.
Its consequences were permanent.
Part 2
After documenting Booker’s repeated aggression toward Claudette Thompson, Detective Lisa Monroe formally shifted the focus of the investigation.
On March 21, 2019, Claudette arrived at the police station for a voluntary interview. She was dressed professionally in black slacks and a cream blouse. Her demeanor was calm. The interview began at 2:07 p.m., recorded on video with Detective Monroe and Detective James Woo present.
When first asked where she had been between noon and 3:00 p.m. on March 17, Claudette answered that she had been at work all day at Greenfield Medical Billing. She stated that coworkers and her supervisor could confirm her presence.
Detective Monroe left the room and contacted Claudette’s supervisor directly. The supervisor stated that Claudette had left for lunch at approximately 11:45 a.m. and did not return until 3:30 p.m., explaining she had a personal errand.
When confronted with this information, Claudette changed her account. She said she had run errands, including going to a grocery store and the bank. When asked which grocery store and what time, she hesitated and stated she did not remember exactly.
While the interview continued, Detective Woo canvassed the neighborhood again. At the home of Elena Rodriguez, he presented a photo lineup of six women of similar age and build. Rodriguez immediately identified Claudette as the woman she had seen arriving at 2847 Fairview Drive at approximately 12:10 p.m. and leaving around 3:45 p.m. on March 17.
Woo returned to the station and informed Monroe of the identification.
When confronted with the witness account, Claudette admitted she had stopped by the house but claimed she had only stayed approximately 20 minutes. She stated that she and Tatcha had argued and that she left before anything happened.
During a break in the interview, forensic results began arriving from the crime laboratory.
Latent fingerprints lifted from the broken corner piece of the coffee table found in the kitchen trash matched Claudette Thompson. DNA analysis from diluted blood recovered in the kitchen sink drain revealed a mixture of Tatcha Thompson’s blood and Claudette’s blood. Blue cotton fibers collected from Tatcha’s clothing were consistent with fibers from a navy blue cardigan later recovered from Claudette’s bedroom closet.
Cell phone records obtained through subpoena showed that Claudette’s phone left the vicinity of her workplace at 11:52 a.m. and arrived near Fairview Drive at 12:08 p.m., based on cell tower pings placing the device within a two-block radius of Tatcha’s residence.
Between 12:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., multiple internet searches were conducted from that location. Search queries included: “How long can someone survive without oxygen,” “Can pregnant women survive falls,” “Signs of head trauma,” and “What happens if you don’t call 911.” At 3:15 p.m., another search was conducted: “How do police determine time of death.”
At 2:50 p.m., cell tower data indicated the phone began moving away from Fairview Drive. At 3:47 p.m., it reconnected to towers near her workplace. She clocked back in at approximately 3:30 p.m.
When confronted with the forensic evidence, Claudette became emotional. She admitted that she and Tatcha argued and that she had pushed her. She stated that Tatcha fell and hit the coffee table. She maintained that the fall was accidental and that she panicked and left.
She denied smothering Tatcha.
The autopsy report contradicted that claim. Dr. Raymond Foster, the medical examiner, documented petechial hemorrhaging in both eyes, consistent with asphyxiation. Pillow fibers were found in Tatcha’s nose and throat. Bruising patterns on her face and chest were consistent with external pressure applied over the mouth and nose.
On March 24, 2019, investigators executed a search warrant at Claudette’s residence. In her bedroom closet, officers located a navy blue cardigan sweater with a small tear in the right sleeve. The fabric appeared recently washed. Forensic testing identified Tatcha Thompson’s DNA in the seams near the torn area.
In the garage, partially hidden behind storage containers, officers found a pair of black slip-on shoes with soil embedded in the treads. Soil analysis determined the composition—67% clay, 22% silt, and 11% sand—was consistent with samples collected from inside the victim’s living room carpet. Microscopic plant fragments matched grass from Tatcha’s yard.
On March 25, 2019, at approximately 6:00 a.m., officers arrived at Claudette’s residence with an arrest warrant. She answered the door in a bathrobe. Inside, officers discovered a suitcase containing her passport, $8,500 in cash withdrawn the previous day, and a one-way airline ticket to Caracas, Venezuela scheduled for March 26.
Claudette Thompson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, homicide of a viable fetus, tampering with evidence, and obstruction of justice. Bail was denied due to flight risk.
The case proceeded to trial in September 2019 in Wayne County Court before Judge Maryanne Foster. Jury selection required three days due to extensive media coverage.
During opening statements, Assistant District Attorney Simone Carter outlined the prosecution’s theory: that Claudette, unable to accept boundaries set by her son and daughter-in-law, confronted Tatcha, initiated a physical altercation, and chose to smother her rather than seek medical assistance.
The prosecution presented testimony from Detective Monroe, who detailed the crime scene findings and timeline reconstruction. Dr. Raymond Foster testified that the fall alone did not cause death. He explained that the cause of death was asphyxiation and that the unborn child died due to oxygen deprivation resulting from the smothering.
Elena Rodriguez testified that she saw Claudette’s silver Honda Accord at the house from approximately 12:10 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. on March 17. She also described hearing raised voices and a loud crash.
Forensic experts testified regarding fingerprint identification, DNA mixtures in the sink, fiber analysis linking the cardigan to fibers found on Tatcha’s body, and soil analysis linking Claudette’s shoes to the interior of the home.
Dr. Terrence Blake testified regarding canine trauma response and scent-based fear conditioning. He explained that dogs can retain scent associations tied to traumatic events and may exhibit specific fear or aggression responses toward individuals present during such events.
With the court’s permission, a controlled hallway procedure was conducted. Five women of similar age and build to Claudette stood at equal distances apart. Booker, handled by a professional K-9 trainer, walked calmly past four of them without reaction. Upon approaching Claudette, he stopped, stiffened, raised the fur along his spine, and emitted a low growl. He refused to approach further.
The defense objected, arguing the demonstration was prejudicial. Judge Foster overruled the objection, allowing the jury to consider the behavior as circumstantial evidence.
Claudette elected to testify in her own defense against the advice of counsel. She stated that she loved her son and went to the house to discuss being excluded from the hospital during the birth. She admitted pushing Tatcha but claimed she did not smother her. She stated she panicked and left after the fall.
Under cross-examination, Prosecutor Carter questioned her about the internet searches conducted during the time Tatcha was still alive, the blood washed from her hands in the sink, the broken table piece placed in the trash, and the airline ticket purchased days after the murder.
The jury deliberated for 4½ days. They requested to review forensic reports, phone records, and the medical examiner’s testimony. They also requested to view again the recorded hallway demonstration involving Booker.
On October 3, 2019, the jury returned a verdict.
On the charge of first-degree murder, they found Claudette Thompson guilty.
On the charge of homicide of a viable fetus, they found her guilty.
She was immediately taken into custody pending sentencing.
Part 3
Sentencing was held on November 15, 2019, in Wayne County Court before Judge Maryanne Foster. Under Michigan law, first-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Before sentencing, the court permitted victim impact statements.
Patricia Washington, Tatcha’s mother, addressed the court first. She described her daughter as the peacemaker of the family, the one who held everyone together. She spoke of the future that would never come—the first steps, the first words, the milestones her granddaughter Zara would never reach. She stated that the loss was permanent and irreparable.
Chenise Washington, Tatcha’s sister, followed. She told the court that two weeks before her death, Tatcha had said she was finally setting boundaries to protect her family. Those boundaries, Chenise said, had cost her sister her life.
Darnell Thompson then approached the podium. He stated that he had lost his wife, his daughter, and his mother in a single event. He described the betrayal he felt and the permanence of the loss. He said he could not forgive what had been done.
Claudette Thompson was given an opportunity to speak. She apologized repeatedly but did not refer to Tatcha or Zara by name. She stated that she never intended for the outcome to occur.
Judge Foster delivered the sentence.
On the charge of first-degree murder, Claudette Thompson was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
On the charge of homicide of a viable fetus, she was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, the sentences to run concurrently.
Claudette Thompson was remanded to the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Her appeal was filed and later denied in March 2020.
She is currently incarcerated at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Michigan.
Darnell Thompson did not maintain contact with her following the conviction.
After the trial, Darnell moved in with Tatcha’s family for support. He returned to work in January 2020. Later that year, he established a nonprofit organization titled Tatcha and Zara’s Light, dedicated to supporting children who have lost mothers to violence.
Booker remained with Darnell. The dog underwent behavioral therapy to address trauma-related responses. Over time, his behavior stabilized. He later participated in supervised visits to schools as part of therapy-based educational programs. A children’s book titled The Dog Who Remembered was published, with proceeds directed to domestic violence shelters.
Each year on March 17, Tatcha’s family holds a memorial in her name. A scholarship fund was established to support students pursuing degrees in elementary education.
In subsequent interviews conducted with correctional officials and reporters, Claudette Thompson continued to characterize herself as abandoned by her son. She did not publicly acknowledge full responsibility for the smothering.
Forensic psychologists who reviewed the case noted patterns of long-term controlling behavior, possessiveness, and escalating boundary violations. Experts in domestic violence identified warning signs that had developed over years, including interference in relationships, attempts at isolation, and repeated undermining of autonomy.
Dr. Terrence Blake, the veterinary behaviorist who consulted during the investigation, later reiterated that Booker’s reaction was consistent with trauma-associated scent memory. He stated that dogs form powerful associations between scent and threat and that such responses are involuntary survival mechanisms.
Some aspects of the case remain unknowable.
Whether Claudette went to the house on March 17 intending violence has never been definitively established beyond the physical evidence and digital trail recovered. She denied premeditation. The prosecution argued that her actions after the fall—searching online for survival timelines, washing away blood, discarding evidence, and attempting to flee—demonstrated consciousness of guilt.
The exact words spoken in the final moments between Tatcha and Claudette are known only to the defendant.
Medical experts stated that if emergency services had been contacted immediately after the fall, survival may have been possible. No call was made.
On March 17, 2019, Tatcha Thompson attended a routine prenatal appointment. By that evening, she and her unborn daughter were dead in the living room of their home.
The nursery remained prepared. The crib assembled. The hospital bag packed by the door.
The investigation that followed relied on physical evidence, digital records, witness testimony, and the observable behavior of a dog that had been present during the assault.
The case was formally closed after sentencing on November 15, 2019.
Tatcha Thompson and Zara Thompson were buried together.
