Man suspected of shooting Detroit mother to death commits suicide

Shalonna Dowdell, 29, was shot dead Tuesday night in front of her 6-year-old daughter outside Detroit home

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Local 4 has learned that the body of a man that was found Wednesday morning in Royal Oak is being investigated as the person responsible for gunning down a Detroit mother.

Police have identified the man as 45-year-old Joe Lloyd.

Shalonna Dowdell, 29, was shot dead Tuesday night in front of her 6-year-old daughter outside her Detroit house on West Outer Drive.

Witnesses told Local 4 Dowdell had just gotten out of her car when she started arguing with a man outside the home before he opened fire on her.

VIDEO: Child witnesses mother's shooting death

Police had been tracking the Joe Lloyd when he pulled into the parking lot of the Belle Tire on 13 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue and shot himself. Police found a revolver and a suicide note in the van.

Police said the girl may be called upon to identify Lloyd as her mother's killer.

Family says victim feared Joe Lloyd

Dowdell's aunt, Ona Martin, told Local 4 the mother was afraid of Lloyd because he was constantly threatening her.

"He was harassing her. He told her that he was going to do just that, killer her, run up on mom and then kill himself, that he had already written the note," Martin said.

Dowdell's daughter hasn't been told about what happened.

"She wants to bring her clothes. All she remember is her mom having blood on her and covering her face. So, she really doesn't know and we don't know when is the perfect time to tell her but she's asking," says Timneshia Dowdell, a first cousin.

Another cousin, Tiffany Hatcher, said Dowdell was planning on getting a restraining order against Lloyd.

"You see it on TV all day, every day. But you never ever know it hits close to home like this. It's just terrible," Hatcher said.  

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