DETROIT – A 40-year-old Detroit man who was accused of violently assaulting his pregnant girlfriend nearly two years ago has now been charged in her murder.
At 11:07 p.m. on July 5, 2022, police were called to a home in the 8830 block of Rosemont Avenue in Detroit where they found Tiffany Joseph, 32, dead. Joseph had been shot multiple times.
Police believe that on July 4, 2022, Billy Ray Cromer, 40, the victim’s ex-boyfriend, asked Spencer Louis Cromer III, 18, to kill Joseph. Billy Cromer has been charged with one count of premeditated first-degree murder. Spencer Cromer has been charged with one count of premeditated first-degree murder and one count of felony firearm.
Spencer Cromer and Billy Cromer were arraigned Friday afternoon and not guilty pleas were entered on their behalf.
Billy Cromer charged with assault, torture of pregnant girlfriend in 2020
Billy Cromer was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, torture and felonious assault on Oct. 21, 2020, after police said he tortured Joseph, who was pregnant at the time.
Billy Cromer is accused of going to the home he shared with Joseph and violently physically assaulting her. He is accused of grabbing her by the neck, choking her and repeatedly punching her in the stomach and head.
Officials said Joseph attempted to cover her stomach during the attack to protect her unborn child. Billy Cromer was accused of forcing the woman to swallow several unknown prescription medicine pills.
Billy Cromer took Joseph to a hospital later that night. Her pregnancy was no longer viable.
“This office has been presented with well over 30,000 domestic violence warrants in just the last five years. I can unequivocally say that alleged facts on this case are among the worst I have seen. Domestic violence is ever present, it is tragic, it is real, it is tremendously disturbing, and it has to be taken much more seriously by society,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in 2020.
Original: Detroit man charged after ‘violently’ physically assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, officials say