Woman Accused Of Killing Off-Duty Cop Now Indicted For Robberies

LAKEWOOD, OH — Two Cleveland women are accused of gunpoint robberies in Lakewood, Cleveland Heights and Cleveland, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Tamara McLoyd, 18, and Jada Hite, 18, were indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury on Wednesday. They are accused of robbing several people in November 2021, said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley.

McLoyd is also accused of killing off-duty Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek in a carjacking on New Year's Eve.

According to court documents, on Nov. 2, 2021, Hite and an unidentified man confronted a 22-year-old on Bunts Road in Lakewood. Hite pressed a gun into the man's back and then stole his debit card, cell phone, jewelry and $105 in cash, prosecutors said.

That same day, court documents noted, Hite and McLoyd and a third person drove to Happy's Pizza on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland. They walked through the restaurant's back door as two employees were closing the shop. Prosecutors believe Hite and McLoyd pointed guns at the employees, demanded cash from the register and then hit one of the workers in the head with a gun.

Hite, McLoyd and the third person stole approximately $300 from the pizza shop's register, court documents said.

Later that same evening, court documents added, McLoyd and the unidentified man confronted a woman as she was walking home in Cleveland Heights.

McLoyd and the man pointed a gun at the woman, court documents said, and then stole her purse. Cleveland Heights police saw McLoyd and the man as they were driving out of town and pursued them, but the duo escaped, court documents said.

Finally, on Nov. 4, Hite and the unidentified man robbed a 33-year-old on Edgewater Drive in Lakewood, court documents said. They pointed a gun at the man and stole $60 in cash, a cell phone, a pair of earrings and a bottle of wine, court documents said.

Lakewood police, Cleveland Heights police and Cleveland police collaborated on investigations into the robberies.

McLoyd was indicted on charges of felonious assault, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and having weapons under disability. Hite was indicted on charges of felonious assault, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, failure to comply and improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle. Both McLoyd and Hite will be arraigned at a later date, prosecutors said.

Neither woman had an attorney listed in the court docket.