Tow truck worker finds woman's body in trunk of abandoned car in eastern North Carolina

WASHINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A 19-year-old woman's body was found in the truck of a car abandoned in a private parking lot between Greenville and Washington in North Carolina.

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.

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.

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.