Saturday, Richard Lyons' van was seizied, and Sunday, his house was searched. According to family members, police executed a search warrant and entered the father's home at approximately 2 a.m. and left two hours later.
Lyons says, during the vehicle seizure and search of his home, detectives made accusatory comments towards him.
Investigators used flashlights to conduct the search of Richard Lyons' home.
It has been almost two weeks since the South Side father found his young daughter stabbed to death in an alley behind his home.
While Lyons says he has been cooperating fully with police, he says it is time for a lawyer.
"I just want to say, because of the apparent direction of the investigation and because two detectives have said things to me which were accusatory and threatening, I have hired attorneys and will follow their advice," Richard Lyons told the news media Sunday.
Before Lyons hired attorneys, he says he voluntarily gave up a DNA sample, took a polygraph, and gave numerous interviews to detectives.
In addition, Lyons says, all along, he has made his house and van that he used to drive his daughter to the hospital available to police. Yet, the vehicle was seized Saturday, and hours later, a search warrant was issued for Lyons' home.
"The family's grief in cases like this often gets marginalized when suspicion turns toward the family because other leads dry up or fail to emerge," said Alan Blumenthal, Richard Lyon's attorney.
Police declined to comment about the case. Blumenthal says investigators have not given him any new information either.
"As of today, there has been no indication to me by police that Richard Lyons is a formal suspect, or a suspect of any kind.
Lyons says he just wants continue the grieving process in peace.
"My family and I simply want to be left alone so we can remember Mya and deal with our broken hearts. I respect police, generally, and I pray they do the job and find who killed my baby," Lyons said.
Mya Lyons was found dead July 14 and was visiting her father when she was killed. Mya lived with her mother in west suburban Addison.
Mya's mother and her family have supported Richard Lyons fully, calling him a good father.
Plice will not comment on the search warrant or Lyons' accusations that detectives made accusatory and threatening remarks.
