Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Cheltenham Township, PA: Elkins Park man charged with killing mother of two

Police in Montgomery County have arrested an Elkins Park man in connection with the stabbing death early Tuesday morning of the 26-year-old mother of his children in their Cheltenham Township apartment.

Authorities arrested Clive S. Thompson, 28, in the parking lot of the township police station in Elkins Park where he was about to turn himself in.

The stabbing took place at Lynnewood Gardens Apartments at 2098 North John Russell Circle where police went shortly after they were called at 12:30 a.m. to investigate a woman's screams of "get out."

A witness said the screams were "prolonged," and sounded as if the woman was "hurt or scared," according to a statement released by Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman and John J. Norris, Cheltenham police chief.

Police entered Apartment A and found Olivia Thompson, 26, on the bed in the master bedroom. She was bleeding from a large wound to her upper abdomen, Ferman said.

Thompson was pronounced dead a short time later at Albert Einstein Medical Center.

Authorities are unclear as to whether Olivia and Clive Thompson are married, but they were living in the apartment with two sons, aged four and eight, police said.

The older boy told investigators that he was in the living room watching TV when he heard his mother scream. Clive Thompson emerged from the bedroom and told the boy to go to his bedroom and shut the door.

Police said that Clive Thompson telephoned a friend, Carl Wint, and told Wint he had stabbed Olivia. Clive asked the friend to "come quick" to the apartment, but when he did, Clive was gone and Olivia badly wounded. The friend called 911 and administered first aid, according to the affidavit of probable cause attached to the criminal complaint.

A search of the apartment turned up a silver butcher knife with an 8-inch blade. The knife was 11 inches long and three inches wide at the widest point, the statement said.

Police said the knife, one of a set stored in the kitchen, was recovered from under the master bed.

Detectives also found that the door to the bedroom had been forced open and damaged, the affidavit said.

Wint told police that Clive and Olivia argued, and that Clive had told Wint the relationship wasn't working.

"In addition, Olivia wanted Clive to move out of the apartment," the statement quoted Wint as saying. Another friend who knew the couple said they had "infidelity issues," according to the affidavit.

Clive Thompson was arrested in the Cheltenham Township Administration parking lot, where he was stopped by detectives.

While being brought into custody, Clive said: "I am here to turn myself in, and I am sorry I did it, so sorry," according to the affidavit.

An autopsy conducted by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office attributed the cause of death to the stab wound in the abdomen. The coroner ruled the death a homicide, police said.

The defendant was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Christopher J. Cerski and being held in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. July 7 in Cerski's court at 8230 Old York Road, Elkins Park.

Contact staff writer Bonnie L. Cook at 610-313-8232 or bcook@phillynews.com

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