Imperial Murders: Victim's family finding closure through heartbreak

CLEVELAND -- The Coroner's findings provide a certain relief but mostly heartbreak for Tonia Carmichael's family.

For a year now the family hoped Tonia was alive but had their doubts after so many important family moments passed by without her.

Wednesday, after the Coroner's Officer released their first identity, that of victim Tonia Carmichael, the family began piecing together their life while trying to learn of the connection between suspect Anthony Sowell and their family member.

When the Carmichael's first heard of the human remains unearthed at East 123rd Street and Imperial Avenue, Carmichael's daughter, Donnita, felt the anxiety ridden wait for her mother to come home was about to end.  She said, "We can put the suffering to rest as far as knowing where she has been the last year.  We know where she is we can get her home and give her a proper burial."

Tonia was a mother, grandmother.  She held good jobs and was a lover of life.

On November 10, 2008, after three days missing, the family reported her as a missing person.  Donnita says, "she loved the holidays, loved to cook, loved horseback riding and fishing."

Dr. Frank Miller with the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office said "Ms. Carmichael was the first one recovered from the back yard and she was a ligature strangulation."

How she ended up in a shallow grave behind Sowell's house is a puzzle you see in the pieces only after they're put together.

The Carmichael family lived in the same apartment complex as Anthony Sowell at Elderwood and Page Streets in East Cleveland.

Daughter Donnita says, "we were there in '89 when he was accused and ultimately convicted of his crime for rape."

At the time of her disappearance the small pickup she was driving was found at the corner of East 118th Street and Kinsman Road, just three blocks from Sowell's house.

The Carmichael Family says Tonia had a drug habit.  Police say Sowell lured his victims with the promise of cocaine and alcohol.

"We're the type of family we're going to stick together, we're going to mourn together, we're going to stick together and we're going to get justice together."

Family is now the Carmichael's strength.  They'll use that to see this case to the end to see Tonia's death avenged.