Two charged in connection with death of Merrillville woman

Kareem Jahbarr Williams and Alexis Alexander | Merrillville police

Two people have been charged in connection with the death of a 23-year-old northwest Indiana woman found murdered Thursday afternoon in Gary.

Kareem Jahbarr Williams, 23, was charged with murder and fraud; and Alexis Alexander, 22, was charged with fraud in connection with the death of Diamond C. Lewis, according to Merrillville police.

Police said Lewis and Williams had been arguing about whether Williams was the father of Lewis’s 2-month-old daughter when he “lost control and killed Lewis,” police said.

Lewis was found dead Thursday in the basement of an abandoned house in the 1400 block of West 18th Avenue in Gary, police said.

Her body was discovered after Gary detectives were notified by a “verified source” about her location about 4 p.m., police said.

Lewis, of the 1400 block of West 73rd Place in Merrillville, died of asphyxiation due to strangulation, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Lake County coroner’s office.

Lewis was reported missing April 16 after she was last seen at her apartment and also in Gary on April 12, police said. Her daughter was also reported missing, but was found safe on Tuesday.

Williams and Alexander face fraud charges for using Lewis’ government aid card and forging her signature to sell her car, police said. Court information for the pair was not immediately available.