Temple University student charged with killing nursing student in North Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Temple University student is in custody after he allegedly killed another student in North Philadelphia.

Officers responded to the 1400 block of Willington Street around 4 a.m. Saturday for a reported medical emergency.

They found the body of a 20-year-old woman inside a second-floor apartment, saying she suffered from blunt force trauma.

Officials have identified the woman as nursing student Milan Jones of Philadelphia.

"The loss of this promising young woman is a tragedy that will deeply impact her fellow students and our faculty and staff," said Temple in a statement on Sunday.

Investigators are calling her death a homicide and a domestic incident.

"Just knowing that somebody died next door to me threw me off, like very much threw me for a loop sleeping that night," said a Temple sophomore who was neighbors with the victim.

Police arrested Jones' 21-year-old boyfriend, Tymir Lackey, of Philadelphia.

Police said a dispute between Jones and Lackey began Friday evening. It eventually turned physical, leading to Jones' death the next morning.

Maria Macaluso is the Executive Director of the Women's Center of Montgomery County. She's not involved in this case but says for younger victims of domestic violence, signs of abuse may be harder to spot.

"One in four young women in college experience domestic violence in some way," said Macaluso.

Neighbors shared home surveillance with Action News, which reportedly shows Lackey being escorted from the home.

Lackey is being charged with murder and related offenses. He is also suspended from the university.

Milan was set to begin her third year of studies in the nursing program this fall.

For faculty and staff members, Temple's employee assistance program offers support and resources 24/7 online or call 1-888-267-8126. Employees and students can also contact Temple's Psychological Services Center at psc@temple.edu, or 215-204-7100.

Read the full statement released by the university below:

"We are deeply saddened to inform you of the death of third-year nursing student Milan Jones. The loss of this promising young woman is a tragedy that will deeply impact her fellow students and our faculty and staff.

Milan was set to begin her third year of studies in the College of Public Health's nursing program this fall. She enjoyed helping and caring for others, and her decision to pursue a career in nursing reflects just that. There is no doubt that she had a very bright future ahead of her, which makes delivering this news especially difficult.

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) is the lead investigative agency, and the Temple University Police Department is supporting the investigation. A suspect, who is also a Temple student, was immediately taken into custody at the scene by the PPD, who indicated the incident was domestic in nature. Today, the suspect was charged with murder and related offenses. At this time, he has been placed on immediate suspension from the university.

Temple University is committed to supporting our community during this time of unspeakable loss. We encourage students to seek available support services at Tuttleman Counseling Services, located at 1700 N. Broad St., which offers a range of resources. For more information on services and hours of operation, call 215-204-7276 or visit the Tuttleman Counseling Services website.

For faculty and staff members, our employee assistance program offers support and resources 24/7 online or call 1-888-267-8126. Employees and students can also contact Temple's Psychological Services Center at psc@temple.edu, or 215-204-7100.

Domestic violence is abhorrent in all its forms. If you or anyone you know needs help, there are campus and national resources available to support you or the people you care about. Your safety and well-being are paramount.

Temple community members can seek support related to domestic violence through the Wellness Resource Center, tuwellness@temple.edu, or 215-204-8436, the university's Title IX Coordinator, titleix@temple.edu, or 215-204-3283, or the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Additional information can be found via the Health and Well-being division's website.

We extend all our thoughts and deepest sympathies to those closest to Milan. She will be deeply missed. Together, we can rely on the strength of our Temple community to support one another through this senseless tragedy."