INDIANAPOLIS — A man shot and killed by an IMPD officer while the man was reportedly holding a woman hostage is now connected to a mother found murdered in Pennsylvania.
Michelle Tayse, 48, was found stabbed to death in Erie County after first responders put out a small brush fire on the side of Interstate 90 on Nov. 17, 2023.
A GoFundMe page said Tayse was a mother of seven, with four grandchildren.
Police were unsure what the Nashville woman would have been doing up in Pennsylvania.
That was until DNA found in 60-year-old Lamont Bland's semi cab matched Tayse.
Bland was killed during a standoff with police on Nov. 30, 2023 on the southwest side of Indianapolis.
IMPD officers responded to a 911 call from an employee at a McDonald's after a customer told them they heard a woman calling for help from the cab of a white semi-truck in the 4900 block of Knights Way, near Interstate 69 and Interstate 465.
When officers arrived, a witness directed them to the semi where they had heard the screams coming from.
Officers knocked on the truck but said Bland would look through a curtain at them, but he would then go back into the sleeper cabin.
IMPD claims an officer then put their ear up against the side of the cabin and could hear a woman screaming.
Officers called for Bland to open the door, but they said he did not respond. An officer then used a baton to break out a window.
Bland can be heard saying on the video, "Stop it. I've got a knife to her throat."
When officers tried to talk to Bland, he can be heard on the video saying, "I'm going to kill her right now," and then saying, "I ain't got nothing to lose."
The woman can be heard stating that she was bleeding, that he cut her and asking for help.
As officers continued talking with Bland, he stated, "I'm gonna cut her throat."
The officer, later identified as 26-year veteran Lt. Brandon Mills, fired a shot, striking Bland, who was pronounced dead inside the truck.
WARNING: The video contains graphic images and language that some might find disturbing. Those wishing to view the video can find it here.
RELATED: Man recalls moments before and after deadly IMPD shooting during reported hostage situation
The woman received medical attention at the scene for several lacerations and was taken to the IMPD Homicide Office to be interviewed about what happened. Officers found a razor blade with blood on it inside the sleeping compartment of the cab.
In an update Dec. 4, IMPD said "the victim told detectives that before intervention from officers, the suspect pulled her into the cabin of the semi-truck, held her against her will there for hours and the suspect claimed the victim had stolen something from him previously."
In the video released by police, the woman could be heard telling them the attack had lasted for six hours.
The woman told police she did not know Bland, IMPD said.
The FBI Pittsburgh field office is working with Pennsylvania State Police to identify other potential victims of Bland. If you have any information on the investigation call 1-800-Call-FBI or make a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
In 2023, IMPD officers shot 18 people. Ten of those people died.