Tragic Incident at Senior Living Facility
An Indiana woman and her son have been charged with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of 81-year-old Cleo Loizides at Commonwealth Senior Living at Leigh Hall in Norfolk, Virginia. Court documents allege that Heather Cummings, 53, held down her mother while her son, Clifton Cummings, 24, used the strap of his bag to strangle his grandmother.
Discovery and Initial Response
Loizides was found unresponsive in her room and pronounced dead by first responders. Marks on her neck indicated strangulation, prompting police to reclassify her death from undetermined to homicide.
Confessions and Charges
Police obtained confessions from both Heather and Clifton Cummings, though no motive was provided in the documents. Heather allegedly told her mother, “Just let go, it’s for the best,” while restraining her during the incident.
Legal Proceedings
In court, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Victoria Kapper detailed that Loizides was last seen alive around 5 p.m. on June 30. By 11:55 p.m., an employee discovered her unresponsive, leading to the arrival of medical personnel who declared her deceased.
A judge denied bond for Heather Cummings and granted a competency and sanity evaluation for Clifton Cummings at the request of his court-appointed attorney, J.D. Garrett. Heather Cummings, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, had been staying with her son in a Norfolk home owned by Loizides.
Background and Investigation
Loizides had a varied background, including a career in modeling in the 1960s and later work in banking. She was also a volunteer at the Little Theatre of Norfolk, where she met her husband.
Commonwealth Senior Living officials have expressed their cooperation with the investigation and are providing emotional support to their staff during this difficult time.
