Wood TV
November 24, 2013
The woman charged in connection to the murder of John Dahlinger is a prostitute and he had previously hired her, police confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 Thursday night.
Dahlinger, 56, was found beaten and shot inside his northeast Grand Rapids condo in mid-October.
Danyell Thomas, 36, and his girlfriend 24-year-old Dijana Kilic were charged Thursday in connection to the murder. Thomas faces murder charges, while Kilic faces a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery. A probable cause document says the suspects planned to rob Dahlinger, and that Thomas brought the gun.
Kilic is a prostitute and Dahlinger hired her for sex, police confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 Thursday night.
Dahlinger was a businessman and often considered the life of the party. But police say he had a second life. And it appears to have caught up with him.
Dahlinger was Kilic’s typical client, 24 Hour News 8 learned Thursday — a white, wealthy, middle-aged male.
Tara Beckman works at the Best Western in Wyoming near Buchanan Avenue and 28th Street SW. When she saw the news Thursday that Kilic had been arrested in connection to the murder, she was shocked.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, she comes to our hotel a lot.’ She’s comes by herself or with that other gentleman that was here,” Beckman said.
The “other gentleman” is Danyell Thomas.
“But it’s usually just her. She’ll come in, get a room. She’ll leave. She’ll come back. She’ll have people leave with her in the side door,” Beckman said.
She said it was clear that Kilic is a prostitute.
“It’s always men. It’s one will leave and a few minutes later another will go up to the room,” she said. “Last time I saw her was the 13th. I was here the day that she checked in and stayed for two nights.”
That was last month. She checked out on Oct. 15 — the day before Dahlinger was found dead.
A front desk clerk said she said she has never seen Dahlinger at the hotel and has no record of him ever staying here.
According to probable cause documents, records from Dahlinger’s phone showed he had been contact with Kilic just before he died. And, according to the court record, documents obtained through search warrants showed Kilic and Thomas were at Dahlinger’s house the afternoon he died.
Police are not confirming she was hired that afternoon, but Dahlinger had hired her in the past.
“I’m a little surprised. She was a very nice girl. She was very nice. She was sweet she was quiet,” Beckman said.
Kilic and Thomas were being held at the Kent County jail without bond Thursday. They are due back in court next month.