NORFOLK — While Heather Cummings held her 81-year-old mother down, Cummings’ son used a strap to strangle her to death, investigators claim in court documents.
“Just let go, it’s for the best,” Heather Cummings is alleged to have said to her mother as she fought for her life, the documents said.
According to police, Cleo Loizides died June 30 at Commonwealth Senior Living at Leigh Hall, an assisted living and nursing facility on Poplar Hall Drive. She was found unresponsive in her room shortly before midnight. Marks discovered on her neck were consistent with strangulation, the documents said.
Heather Cummings, 53, and her son, Clifton Cummings, 24, were arrested late Tuesday night. Each has been charged with second-degree murder and conspiracy, and are being held without bond in the Norfolk city jail.
Criminal complaints filed in Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court said both confessed, and that Heather Cummings had told detectives she’d encouraged her mother to “let go” and not fight. No alleged motive was provided in the documents.
Police said the two traveled from Indiana to Norfolk to commit the crime. A release from police said Heather Cummings was from Hobart, Indiana, while court documents listed Clifton Cummings’ address as being in the 1300 block of Stockley Gardens, in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood.
Heather Cummings’ case has been referred to the public defender’s office, and attorney James Garrett was appointed to represent Clifton Cummings, according to court records. Norfolk Public Defender Sherri Carr said Thursday that her office had just been assigned the case, and didn’t have enough information to comment at this time. Garrett didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
An obituary posted online for Loizides by a local funeral home indicated that Heather Cummings was her only child and Clifford Cummings her only grandchild.
The obituary said Loizides had “embarked on a glamorous career as a model” in the 1960s, and later worked in banking. The posting also said she’d been an active volunteer with Little Theatre of Norfolk, where she met her husband, as well as with her daughter’s school activities when she was growing up. A visitation was held for Loizides on July 7, but no funeral service was listed.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
