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Man arrested on murder warrant in Warren grandmother's killing

WARREN, Mich. – A felony murder warrant has been issued for a man suspected of killing Dona Lawrence, 62, in her Warren apartment Wednesday.

UPDATE: Iannotti was taken into custody in Shelby Township

Officials searched for Anthony Iannotti, who has been spotted since Lawrence's death but is still on the loose.

Warren grandmother murdered

Iannotti has gone from person of interest to murder suspect in the days since Lawrence was found dead right after Iannotti was released from jail. Police said Lawrence was found bludgeoned to death and that there were signs of a struggle inside her apartment.

Sources told Local 4 Lawrence was either hit or stabbed more than 100 times in gruesome fashion.

"I want to find out who did this," her daughter, Renee Lawrence, said. "I want to find out why somebody would hurt my mom."

Iannotti was named a person of interest in the case Friday. He is also wanted in connection with a home invasion earlier that day in Warren.

ReadPolice search neighborhood for man wanted in Warren grandmother's slaying

The funeral for Dona Lawrence is scheduled for Tuesday.

Ex-wife fears for her life

The search heated up Monday when Iannotti's ex-wife, Cassie Hokanson, posted on Facebook that she is in hiding and said the suspected killer is after her. She also posted that Iannotti had broken into her house.

The post put police on the offensive. Warren's mayor said catching Iannotti is priority No. 1.

Hokanson said Ianotti also showed up where she was hiding with her family.

"My father fired twice to protect my family," Hokanson said.

The mayor and a family member of Hokanson's said they believe she is safe.

Reward offered in search

The Warren detective leading the case got one judge to revoke Iannotti's bond Monday, and another judge issued new warrants for first-degree murder.

Video: Search for Anthony Iannotti heats up

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering $5,000 for information that leads to Iannotti's arrest. Anyone with information should call 313-234-5656.

Timeline of events

Here's a look at the major events that have taken place during the search for Iannotti.


About the Author
Kimberly Gill headshot

You can watch Kimberly Gill weekdays anchoring Local 4 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and streaming live at 10 p.m. on Local 4+. She's an award-winning journalist who finally called Detroit home in 2014. Kim has won Regional Emmy Awards, and was part of the team that won the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in 2022.

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