ROCHESTER, Minn. – A Rochester man was arraigned for the death of a 28-year-old woman whose disappearance stumped police for weeks. Charged was Timothy Daniel Loftus, 41, Lloftus is accused of providing heroin to Tia Arleth, who overdosed and died, and hiding her body 1-1/2 weeks later. Bail for Loftus was set at $500,000. The maximum sentence could be 25 years in prison. The criminal complaint includes this chronology:
> May 29: Tia Arleth’s mother dropped her off at Loftus’s home.
> June 9: Loftus traveled from his home to where Arleth’s body was later found.
> June 12: The mother reported Arleth missing.
> June 23: Police searched Loftus’s home and found drugs, a handgun, duct tape and rope that matched the color and type later found with Arleth’s body.
> June 2: Loftus acknowledged that Arleth was dropped off at his house but said stayed only 20 minutes.
> June 17: A man mowing tall grass found Arleth’s body near County Road 2 and 70th Avenue Northeast.
>June 21: Despite the body’s decomposition, the medical examiner confirmed the corpse as Arleth.
>July 11: A source told police that Loftus had mentioned giving heroin and fentanyl to Arleth and that she overdosed and died.
> July 15: Loftus was arrested.
Loftus. Charged with third-degree homicide and interference with a dead body.
Verbatim
Mark Ostrem, county attorney: “It appears she probably died at Loftus’ home, and at some point, he moved the body.”