CLEVELAND (Court TV/Scripps News Cleveland) — A missing Ohio EMT and mother of two complained about being stalked for months before she disappeared.
Lachelle Jordan was last seen May 6 outside her Cleveland home, just two days before she was supposed to attend a court hearing for Michael Stennett, an accused rapist.
This undated photo provided by the Cleveland Police Department shows Lachelle Jordan. (Cleveland PD)
Days after she disappeared, 65-year-old Stennett was with charged menacing by stalking and violating a protection order on accusations he had been stalking Jordan for months.
Cleveland Police executed a search warrant at Stennett’s apartment on Monday, according to his landlord.
Mark Barrett, the president of Cleveland’s EMS union, said, “We couldn’t protect (Jordan) when our job is taking care and protecting the public.”
Barrett said the department tried to help Jordan. He said she was taken off the streets about three weeks ago after she repeatedly complained Stennett and people involved with him were showing up when she was on scenes, responding to 911 calls for help.
“I think it just got to the point where the city knew they needed to get her out of the field,” Barrett said.
An arrest warrant for Stennett said Jordan noticed “multiple times” Stennett was following her in his personal vehicle while she was working, and he would also wait outside her home.
Booking photo of Michael Stennett (Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office)
The warrant also said Stennett went to Jordan’s house and refused to leave one time in January, and she noticed him sitting outside her home on May 4, just two days before she went missing.
“The system failed her,” said Barrett. “She did everything right. And here we are.”
In January, Stennett was placed on unpaid administrative leave after Scripps News Cleveland asked city officials why he was still working as a recreation instructor after being accused of raping a former co-worker and being charged with two counts of felony rape in May 2022.
Last week, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Stennett was offered a plea deal in the case. It’s unclear if the offer is still available. Stennett’s next pre-trial hearing in the case is scheduled for May 30.
If you have information about Jordan’s disappearance, call Cleveland Police.
This story was originally published by WEWS in Cleveland, an E.W. Scripps Company.
