ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 20 (UPI) — The man accused of killing an Orlando police officer who was attempting to arrest him on charges he’d killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend claimed police are lying about both amidst a profanity-laced tirade in court on Thursday.
Markeith Loyd was officially charged in the shooting death of Orlando Police Department Lt. Debra Clayton on Thursday, bringing the number of charges he faces in connection with the crimes to 10.
Loyd was arrested Tuesday after a nine-day manhunt following his alleged “execution-style” shooting of Clayton outside a Walmart when she approached him on Jan. 9. At the time, he was already wanted in the shooting death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, and injuring her brother who tried to help.
Loyd appeared in court with a bandaged eye and bruised face, claiming police beat him when he was apprehended on Tuesday, denying accusations from police that he resisted arrest. After the court appearance, police released overhead video footage of his arrest to counter the charges that they indiscriminately beat him.
Loyd allegedly carjacked someone in the Walmart parking lot in order to escape the scene, eventually being tracked to an apartment complex where he got into a shootout with police — another one of whom he shot at, but not hit.
During his court appearance, Loyd said police are lying about what happened at Walmart, as well as who killed Sade Dixon, and declined a public defender because he wants to represent himself.
When the judge at the Orange County Jail ruled him to be held without bond, Loyd closed out his appearance in court by cursing the judge out. He is expected back in court Friday in relation to the new charges, which include murder of a law enforcement officer, attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, armed carjacking, wearing a bulletproof vest while committing a felony and aggravated assault.
