Warren murder suspect Anthony Iannotti arrested in Shelby Twp

The man wanted for the murder of a Warren woman last week has been arrested in Shelby Township.

Anthony Iannotti was taken into custody Tuesday morning by Shelby Township police after he broke into a home in their city.

According to police, Iannotti broke into into a home early Tuesday morning. The homeowner was still inside with her two-year-old son and hid in the bathroom while she called police. The homeowner told FOX 2 that she had heard he had been spotted in the area and that she 'had a weird feeling' he would show up. As soon as she saw him in the house, she called 911.

By the time they arrived at her home, he had escaped and they searched for him through a wooded area nearby. They tracked him down to a nearby apartment complex and found him hiding inside of a clubhouse.

Police said he had a shaved head and face when they found him but were able to identify him based on his bite. Police did not elaborate any further about that information.

Iannotti is believed to have killed 61-year-old Dona Lawrence inside of her apartment in Warren last Wednesday morning. The woman was found by a family member on the kitchen floor of her apartment.

The murder took place just one day after he was released from jail after posting bond on a charge of strangulation involving his wife. His release angered Shelby Twp Police Chief Robert Shelide.

"Who puts him back out on the street? I looked at his record and I was appalled. I want to speak for all Shelby Twp residents: we don't tolerate that kind of nonsense out here. Violent crime after violent crime. At what point is someone going to lock him up? We're sick of it. This woman in here, a 34-year-old mother, with her 2 1/2 year old child alone. If she wasn't up and alert and had the presence to call us, who knows what would have happened in here?" Shelide said.

Iannotti was released on a tether with condition that he would not go to his wife's home. He cut the tether and disobeyed the order. When he didn't find his wife, he went to the apartment of Lawrence, police said.

Iannotti has a history of fleeing police, assault, and aggravated stalking and assault. Now, he has a murder charge filed against him as well.

FOX 2 reached out to Dona Lawrence's daughter when we learned of his arrest. She only had one word:

"Amen," Renee Lawrence said.

Police said on Monday that Dona's stolen car was found over the weekend and a cell phone box linked to Iannotti's phone was nearby. They did not specify where the car was found.

A previous version of this story included erroneous information that the man shaved his head while inside the home Tuesday morning. That has been removed and FOX 2 regrets the error.