The owner of the car, 29-year-old Jordan Isaiah Thomas, was already in custody in Beaufort County when the woman's body was found. Now he faces an added murder charge.
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The woman's body is awaiting an autopsy from the medical examiner's office. Investigators hope that will help determine the cause of death and provide a positive identification. However, they already believe the body belonged to Amarriah Smith, who was a student at Elizabeth City State University.
Investigators said a tow truck employee found Smith's body in the trunk of Thomas' car on Jan. 17.
Prior to that, Thomas abandoned his car in the private parking lot along US-264. Investigators said he then stole a truck and drove it to ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, where he was arrested.
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Investigators believe Thomas murdered Smith at a different location and then drove her body to that parking lot.
They said they found evidence of a murder at Thomas' home in Edenton, but it's unclear if that's where the murder happened.