Boyfriend charged with murder in death of Dawn Fital of Pittsfield Township
Dawn Fital
Fital, 45, of Pittsfield Township, had been missing since Monday. This morning, police found a body they believe to be hers stuffed in a weighted suitcase in a swampy area behind a Toys R Us store near Hobart, in northwest Indiana.
Police believe Noack, Fital’s boyfriend, killed her Monday in the apartment they shared in the 5800 block of Plum Hollow Drive in Pittsfield Township, then duct taped her body, put it in the suitcase, then drove it to Indiana in Fital's own vehicle.
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The Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office is working with authorities in Indiana to extradite Noack, Harshberger said.
Lake County Chief Deputy Coroner P.J. Adams said the woman found today had been bound with duct tape, placed in a suitcase and thrown into the pond. Adams said investigators think they know the cause of death but declined to elaborate. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday.
Merrillville, Ind., police said they had probable cause to arrest Noack on suspicion of murder Tuesday after someone reported seeing him acting suspiciously behind a bank.
Police interviewed Noack and asked Pittsfield Township police to do a welfare check on Fital on Tuesday. Township police spent much of Wednesday searching the apartment where Fital and Noack lived in the Arbor Knoll complex off Michigan Avenue. Fital’s ex-husband also lived there, police said.
Fital, a mother of four, is a championship pool player who regularly traveled to compete across the country.
Comments
Jen Eyer
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 1:34 p.m.
A reminder that we don't allow comments that advocate specific punishments.
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 11:24 p.m.
I guess I can advocate specific punishments as long as we hide them down here....;)
Ricebrnr
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 8:45 p.m.
Wow as many times as I've made that allegation I should have lost some weight! Alas both AA.com and I have not changed at all.
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 5:01 p.m.
I think you should go to your room without any supper for making such an allegation.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 4:55 p.m.
It falls under: "Comments will be moderated at the capricious whims of the moderators."
Craig Lounsbury
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
Is that in your guidelines? I didn't see it there. I see that we can't assume the guilt of a suspect. But I don't see any reference to generic punishment.
Jayne Dough
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 2:49 a.m.
Dawn and her family are in my thoughts. What an unbelievable tragedy. I won't comment on the multiple posts on this subject (other than that). A woman is dead. I hope that her family can heal and find solace in this trying time.
obviouscomment
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 12:43 a.m.
So I did a search on AnnArbor.com for "fital" and found 9 articles about this incident...I can see maybe having 2 or 3...but 9??? That's ridiculous. How can the family be expected to find any peace of mind when they can't escape the articles about it? It seems that AnnArbor.com took advantage of this being a "big story" and decided to make it the topic of the last 24 hours on their site. It would be respectful of them to consolidate these articles into 2 or 3 articles or just headlines with the applying articles underneath and delete all the repetitive articles. They all say the same thing anyway with just a few updates, why didn't they just update the original articles?
Dave66
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 12:55 a.m.
It's pretty easy to "escape" the articles. You know nobody is forcing you to read the web site, right? You are free to leave your computer at any time.
DBH
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 12:17 a.m.
I am so, so sorry to hear of her death, and my condolences to all those who cared for her. AnnArbor.com, please consider consolidating all the articles about this woman into one story. Having multiple stories, at least on your home page, strikes me as sensationalizing a most tragic event. It is not necessary.
Salinemary
Fri, Jun 17, 2011 : 12:03 a.m.
Rest in Peace, Ms. Fital.