Police arrest suspect in first Madison homicide of 2019

Stephen Cohn by Stephen Cohn

Madison police say they have arrested a suspect for the city’s first homicide of 2019.

According to an incident report, police arrested 58-year-old Lew A. Jefferson, of Chicago.

Police said he was taken into custody Saturday morning and booked into the Dane County Jail on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide.

“Delighted to learn from Chief Koval that they have a suspect in custody for the recent homicide on the near east side,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “Credit goes to all the detectives and officers who worked all night long to secure this positive result.”

The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Officer identified the victim of Friday morning’s homicide as 30-year-old Madison resident Amanda J. Woods.

Woods was found near the intersection of Clyde Gallagher Avenue and Darbo Drive around 4:20 a.m. Friday.

The Medical Examiner indicates Woods died from “homicidal sharp force related trauma” and that additional testing is underway at this time.

The victim’s friends told police the woman was attending a party at an apartment in the area. Woods left for a while and her friends became concerned when she never returned, according to police spokesman Joel DeSpain.

Officials said the Violent Crime Unit is still investigating the circumstances of the homicide and is asking that anyone who has any information regarding Jefferson or has had any contact with him in the last six months contact the Violent Crime Unit at 608-243-0550.

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