How Wilmington police identified woman accused in fatal attack

Moments before witnesses saw a woman “senselessly” beat another woman to death in Wilmington, the suspect was drawing hearts with her initials in the dust on nearby car windows, court documents say.

Laverne Sealey is in jail on $140,000 bail for the Oct. 24 attack. 31-year-old man accused of murdering 49-year-old Lisa Fakis.

Court documents show Wilmington officers called police to 200 N. Lombard St. just after 9 p.m. after receiving 911 calls reporting that Fakis was unresponsive. There they found her “bleeding profusely” from the head, police said.

Police tried to help the woman, but she died at the scene, according to court documents. Wilmington police previously said Fakis was confirmed dead at the hospital.

Nearby, detectives found two “significant” bloodstains, believed to be from the area where Fakis was attacked. Witnesses later told police that she walked a short distance from where she was beaten and then collapsed.

BEGINNING STORY: Woman dies after attack in Wilmington; the second fatal attack in the city in a week

Thanks to “numerous” witnesses, the police managed to determine what happened.

What led to the attack?

According to witness statements detailed in court documents, local residents saw a black woman, later identified as Sealey, walking in the neighborhood just before the attack. She wore navy blue pants resembling shorts, a black hoodie, “visible” red lipstick and a brown wig.

At one point, she placed several items in two separate cars and used her finger to inhale the dust on the cars. Police later saw hearts and Sealey’s initials “LS” on the rear windows.

Then she started reading the book.

A short time later, witnesses told police they saw her “senselessly attack” Fakis. It is unclear where Fakis was before the attack or whether she and Sealey knew each other.

Court documents say Sealey repeatedly punched Fakis in the head and then dragged her in and out of the street. Witnesses told police she also took Fakis’ backpack.

After the attack, Sealey left the area. Meanwhile, Fakis “incoherently” stumbled towards witnesses before falling and that’s where police found her.

Red lipstick may have helped identify Sealey

Court documents show that after speaking with witnesses and obtaining a description of Sealey, police provided information to patrol officers.

“A short while later,” the detective wrote in the arrest warrant, patrol officers found a woman walking on Front Street who matched the “exact description” of witness statements.

Officers stopped Sealey and discovered she had an outstanding habit. They arrested her on an arrest warrant and then took her back to the scene of the attack, according to court documents.

Witnesses who were still being interviewed identified Sealey as the person responsible for Fakis’ death, according to the arrest warrant. The warrant also says a man may have been involved in the attack, although details remain unclear.

Sealey remains in prison.

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