Police are investigating after a Kentucky man allegedly dismembered his girlfriend then traveled on a bus to Chicago with some of her body parts in a suitcase.
Investigators in Markham, Illinois, said Wednesday that the 30-year-old suspect, Melvin Martin Jr., admitted he killed his girlfriend in Louisville, according to WAVE.
“He said he dismembered her body, dumped her torso in a Clifton Heights park, and packed some of her other body parts in a suitcase and tote bag. Police say Martin got on a Greyhound bus to Chicago to visit his parents in the suburb of Markham,” the report stated.
The suspect’s family told police he did not open or unpack the suitcase once they picked him up at the bus stop.
However, when he left the house on Tuesday, family members reportedly opened one of the bags after noticing a smell, according to WLKY.
“They found a head, organs and the bottom half of her body,” the article stated, adding that police said the torso was missing.
Authorities believed the suspect’s girlfriend was killed at least 30 days ago, according to CBS Chicago.
“He indicated that, as grotesque as it might sound, that he still wanted to be with her at least part of her,” Markham Police Chief Terry White said at a press conference.
Martin was arrested at the Markham library and police charged him as a fugitive fleeing prosecution, the WLKY report stated, adding that authorities believed the killing started as a domestic assault.
“I had a feeling something wasn’t right, someone was missing and they hadn’t been seen for a while and the family was concerned,” Louisville neighbor Danee Fallen told WAVE.
“I’ve seen him take out big large leaves like garbage bags to the dumpster,” Fallen said of the suspect.
“I’ve seen him take a big suitcase to the dumpster. Last week there was flies and lots of maggots around it, which is unusual. Flies are common but the maggots, we don’t normally have that,” she noted.
Martin remained in police custody in Illinois and would be extradited back to Louisville, the WAVE report said.
“An autopsy confirmed the identity of the victim this week, but police have not yet released her name pending notification of her family,” the article stated.
Police said the suspect did have prior domestic arrests, according to the CBS report.
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