Anthony Sowell
Anthony Sowell
Tonia Carmichael, the first victim to be identified.
Tonia Carmichael, the first victim to be identified.

Police ID First Victim Found At Cleveland Home

Wednesday,  November 4, 2009 6:55 PM

Video Slideshow
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Suspected serial killer Anthony Sowell appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since the discovery of 11 bodies at his home, 10TV's Cara Connelly reported.

The coroner announced Tuesday he has identified one of the victims as 52-year-old Tonia Carmichael of Warrensville Heights.

Carmichael was reported missing last November.

There was a steady stream of people outside Sowell's home all day, Connelly reported, many of them looking for answers to the whereabouts of missing relatives.

SLIDESHOW: Images From Scene

Police have recovered 11 bodies from the home people are calling the "house of horrors."

But two people who stopped here today had extremely personal connections to this story. One man knew him years ago and another woman fears her missing sister may have known the accused killer shortly before she disappeared.

police kept the scene secure today as they waited for search warrants to let them look inside the walls of this home. 

Police were continuing to search the home, one day after they discovered four bodies and a skull buried there.

Late last week investigators discovered six bodies inside this home.

Nicole Sims came to see the house for herself Wednesday.

Her 19-year-old sister Bianca lived in the area and has been missing since the summer

"We last saw her in July. She left her kids at my house. She was going to the welfare building and she called to let my mom know that she was going to be a little late picking up the kids," Sims said. "Oh God I just hope she is still alive. I'm just really trying to stay focused and just think positive and just hope for the better."

Mark Rogers also stood before Sowell's house Wednesday - he grew up in the same neighborhood and knew Sowell many years ago.

"It's just strange how people can be real quiet and real friendly and the next day you don't know that they're mass murderers," Rogers said.

Investigators said they are taking a DNA sample from Sowell to enter into a national database, which will help determine whether he is connected with any other crimes.

Previous Stories:
November 4, 2009: Rapist With 10 Bodies At His Ohio Home Denied Bond
November 3, 2009: More Bodies Pulled From Cleveland Home
November 3, 2009: Coroner Working To ID Bodies
November 2, 2009: Probe Focusing on 8 or 9 Women
November 1, 2009: Coroner: 6 Bodies Found At Home
October 31, 2009:   Sowell In Custody After 6 Bodies Found At Home
October 31, 2009:   Bodies Found In Home

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