2 Additional Victims of Cleveland Serial Killer Identified

Police said that the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office identified the body of Tishana Culver, 31, on Thursday. Culver also lived on Imperial Ave., and was not reported as a missing person. Telacia Fortson, 31, was also identified earlier on Thursday. Fortson, who resided in East Cleveland, was the mother of three young children and had been missing since May 31.

Culver's family said that they had not spoken with her in more than a year, indicating that they thought she was staying with her boyfriend in Akron. Fortson's family initially filed a missing person's report with East Cleveland police over the summer, and contacted Cleveland's 4th district on Sunday.

Fortson's body was one of two found on the upper floor of Sowell's home. Fortson's 6-year-old son supplied a DNA sample Thursday morning, which was used to determine her identity.

Police say that so far only six families with missing people have give DNA samples to help identify the bodies. They also say that families can bring in dental records if they don't want to give DNA samples, but stressed that any DNA taken will not be shared with other police agencies and will be kept with the coroner's office only.

The first victim to be identified was Tonia Carmichael, 52, of Warrensville Heights. She was also identified using a DNA sample provided by her family.

Cuyahoga County Coroner Dr. Frank Miller said that seven of the women whom died of strangulation still had what was used to strangle them attached to their necks. He also said that one of the victims was killed manually, and that two others died from "homicidal violence."

The coroner also indicates that the killings have likely been occurring since Sowell was released from prison in 2005. This means that some of the victims may have been in the home for years. Miller is requesting that relatives of any missing persons from the area to submit DNA samples so that they can use their DNA database to identify other victims.

Police will get DNA samples from Sowell, which will then be compared against known suspect DNA profiles to determine whether he is a suspect in any other criminal incidents. A police officer will also be assigned to the Coroner's Office to work with investigators in determining the identities of the remaining victims.

Sowell was charged with five counts of aggravated murder, in addition to rape, felonious assault and kidnapping. During an arraignment Wednesday, he was denied bond.