A 27-year-old man from Connecticut is now facing murder charges after police discovered his mother’s dismembered body stuffed in dozens of trash bags inside a locked closet at her home earlier this year.
Prosecutors on Thursday formally charged Theodore Lloyd with murder and tampering with physical evidence following the gruesome death of 70-year-old Tina Lloyd in West Haven.
Lloyd was previously arrested in April and accused of attempting to set fire to the same property, as well as trespassing. The new charges come after months of forensic analysis and a wide-reaching investigation.
At a court hearing this week, a judge increased Lloyd’s bond from $1 million to $3 million after the upgraded charges were presented.
Tina Lloyd’s sister, Debbie Hart, welcomed the development, telling local station WFSB that she would be attending every court session to see the case through.
“If he’s going to be here, I’m going to be here,” Hart said. “I just want closure so we can heal. We just need to heal.”
Police were first alerted to concerns about Tina Lloyd’s welfare on March 24 when her older son contacted authorities requesting a check at her home on Nashawen Avenue.
When officers arrived, they were met with an overpowering odour of decomposition. Inside the house, they discovered between 14 and 16 trash bags concealed in a closet, each containing parts of a human body.
Evidence at the scene also indicated an attempt to start a fire, police said. Authorities believe Lloyd may have tried to destroy evidence using fire accelerants.
The body was so badly decomposed that initial identification proved difficult. West Haven Police Chief Joe Perno later confirmed that a DNA comparison was required to officially identify the remains as those of Tina Lloyd.
“Identification took some time due to the condition of the body,” Perno said during a press briefing following the arrest.
Investigators spent weeks combing through what they described as “thousands” of pieces of evidence collected from the scene and surrounding areas.
Surveillance footage became a key breakthrough in the case. Detectives tracked Theodore Lloyd purchasing various items — including an electric chainsaw — from local hardware and department stores.
“There were several cutting utensils, there was an electric chainsaw, and things of that nature,” Detective Jeff Gavinelli said.
Gavinelli added that many of the tools were later found concealed in plastic bags, likely in an attempt to hide or destroy them.
Lighter fluid and paper, consistent with attempted arson, were also found inside the property, according to police.
Authorities say Lloyd had previously lived with his mother but moved out in 2018 following a domestic incident. At the time of the murder, he was reported to be homeless.
The exact motive for the killing remains unclear. West Haven police have not publicly disclosed what they believe led to the fatal attack.
Lloyd was arrested in Hartford on April 14 and later transferred to West Haven custody.
The case has shocked the local community, where neighbours described Tina Lloyd as a quiet and kind woman who was still active despite her age.
“She’d go up and down the street with her walker,” said neighbour Denny Steeves in an interview with WTIC. “If she had a lot of groceries, I’d offer to help her, but she’d say, ‘No, this is how I get my exercise.’”
Steeves said he hadn’t seen Tina Lloyd for two or three months before police made the discovery.
“We missed her. We didn’t know where she was,” he added. “Very, very nice lady. Tragic, tragic.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to review forensic evidence and interview witnesses.
By Dayo Ade M10News Crime Desk | Contact: info@m10news.com
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