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

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Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Body found in trunk of abandoned car in North Carolina
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.

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.



Jordan Isaiah Thomas (Source: Chowan County Sheriff's Office)


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.

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