Maryland

Police: Woman Kept GoFundMe Money Meant for Murder Victim's Family

A Maryland woman has been charged with fraud for taking money that was supposed to go to the family of a D.C. homicide victim, police said.

D.C. police arrested Arlene Petty, 30, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, on Friday and charged her with first-degree fraud.

Petty created a GoFundMe account to raise money for the family of Stephanie Goodloe, a D.C. church worker who was shot and killed in her Southeast D.C. home in June 2016.

But police said Petty intentionally kept proceeds from the online fundraiser between June 30, 2016 and March 29, 2017.

Goodloe's ex-boyfriend, Donald Hairston, was charged with murder in connection with her death.

Goodloe had called police several times to report Hairston was harassing and threatening her. She had gotten an emergency protective order against Hairston just days before her death.

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