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Last updated on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
(RICHMOND) - The death of a Richmond businessman who was found dead Tuesday in an apparent suicide could be linked to investigation of a slain pregnant teacher, his ex-girlfriend, police said.
Billy Nakis, an owner of Carver's Restaurant, was found dead Tuesday inside his home in the 1500 block of Chester Boulevard, police said.
"At this point, we believe it was a self-inflicted (gunshot wound)," said Richmond Police Department Capt. Jim Branum.
An apparent suicide note was recovered from the scene, according to police.
Branum said officers had interviewed Nakis as part of their investigation into the death of Tonawanda Thompson. According to police, Nakis was Thompson's former boyfriend and was likely the father of her unborn child, RTV6's Eboné Monet reported.
Thompson, 33, a teacher at Fayette Central Elementary in Connersville, was fatally shot in her car in the 700 block of South 20th Street last week. The fetus, which police described as late-term, did not survive.
Police had not identified Nakis as a suspect or person of interest in the woman's slaying, Branum said, but detectives had obtained a warrant to search his home.
"Anytime you're working a homicide investigation, you always talk to the people closest to your victim. Obviously, we spoke to Mr. Nakis. Early on, he had made no admissions to being involved in it at all. We had not really developed anyone we were willing to call a suspect," Branum said.
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