Hamilton man indicted for murder and other felonies in beating death at motel

Marlowe Matthews, 41, Hamilton man, was in Hamilton Municipal Court on a murder charge for allegedly killing 48-year-old Yolanda M. Wilson, on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2024. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Marlowe Matthews, 41, Hamilton man, was in Hamilton Municipal Court on a murder charge for allegedly killing 48-year-old Yolanda M. Wilson, on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2024. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

A 41-year-old man has been indicted by a Butler County grand jury for murder and other felonies for allegedly beating a woman to death last month in Hamilton.

Marlowe Matthews of Hamilton faces charges of murder, felonious assault and fourth-degree felony domestic violence, according to the indictment filed late Tuesday.

Yolanda M. Wilson was found dead on the night of Nov. 24 in a room at the Cove Motel on Dixie Highway. Hamilton police say she was beaten to death. Following an autopsy, the Butler County Coroner’s Office ruled her cause of death as head trauma.

The indictment states Wilson’s slaying happened between Nov. 22 and 23.

Matthews has been held in the Butler County Jail without bond since his initial arraignment in Hamilton Municipal court on the murder charge last week. He was scheduled to be back in municipal court Wednesday morning, but because of the direct indictment that hearing will not happen.

Wilson was found at 7:30 p.m. in Room 140 of the motel on Nov. 24. Police say 24 hours earlier, Matthews allegedly entered the motel room at around 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23 and did not leave until 3 a.m. Nov. 24.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found Wilson non-responsive, and after examination found her to be deceased. Wilson had multiple visible blunt force traumas to her head, according to a police report.

Video from Cove Motel showed no one had entered or exited Room 140 between the time Matthews left and when officers and medics arrived, according to police.

Matthews’ case is assigned to Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth. An arraignment date on the indicated charges has not been set.

Staff Writer Michael D. Pitman contributed to this story

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