CHICAGO (CBS)– A dismembered woman’s body was found Monday night in a freezer in a home in Arcadia Terrace, after the homeowner had been reported missing, police said.
Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said the woman owns a home in the 5900 block of North Washtenaw, and rents out rooms to tenants. One of those tenants called police around 7 p.m. Monday to report the woman missing.
The tenant who called police told officers there was a suspect living in the house who other residents were afraid of, according to Deenihan. That tenant said the suspect had recently called a tow truck and carried a heavy bag out to the truck.
CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey spoke to the tow truck driver off camera who said his company was called to pick up a Chevy Equinox from the Washtenaw address and the owner, who is the suspect, got a ride in his back seat. He said the suspect was behaving strangely and at the end of the ride pulled a knife on him.
The tenant who called police had exchanged numbers with the tow truck driver, and after further investigation, police learned the suspect had dumped a large plastic bag into a garbage can at Foster Beach, about three miles east of the home.
When detectives checked that garbage can, they found bloody towels and secured the crime scene, and turned over the garbage can and all of its contents to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Detectives also checked the missing woman’s home, where they found human remains in a freezer. Sources told CBS 2 the body had been dismembered.
Deenihan said, after finding the body, detectives obtained a search warrant to gather further evidence at the home.
“We have a long way to go, but obviously we believe that the missing person is obviously unfortunately the individual we discovered,” Deenihan said.
The tow truck driver later told police the suspect had pulled a knife on him, so police took her into custody for aggravated assault with a knife. The driver told CBS 2 he had no idea the woman he was driving could be connected to a homicide. He said it was police who told him Monday night they found “a human head” in the freezer.
Police said they’re waiting on the Medical Examiner’s report but they strongly believe the human remains belong to the missing landlord.
Deenihan said that suspect invoked his right to remain silent in connection with the homicide investigation, which is ongoing.
