Indiana hostage situation leads to break in Tennessee woman’s murder case

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A hostage situation in Indianapolis late last year led to a breakthrough in a cold case regarding the murder of a Nashville woman .

Michelle Tayse, 48, was killed and left burning on the side of a Pennsylvania interstate in November of 2023.

“I just want to get justice. I mean, what they did was wrong. It was evil,” Kelsie Tayse, Michelle’s daughter, told News 2 shortly after her mom’s murder.

Now, the family has learned Michelle’s suspected killer was a man killed by Indianapolis police in a hostage situation later that same month.

In a 911 call, a witness told dispatch they heard someone yelling for help in a parking lot nearby. Body cam footage released by Indianapolis police shows the moment officers responded to the call on Nov. 30, 2023, 20 days after Tayse’s body was found. Police said the suspect, 60-year-old Lamont Bland, was holding a woman captive inside his semi-truck.

Police can be seen on video calling for Bland to exit the truck. When he ignored their command, officers broke into the semi. Bland told officers he will “kill her right now,” referring to the woman inside his sleeper cabin. Bland then told police he had a knife to the woman’s throat, prompting one of the officers to file a single shot at Bond. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

In reviewing the case, law enforcement ultimately connected Bland to Tayse’s murder using DNA found inside his semi truck.

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News 2 spoke with Pennsylvania State Police on Friday. Trooper Todd Bingham said the case is now closed with Bland dead.

News 2 was unable to connect with the Tayse family at this time.

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