‘Savage monster’ accused of decapitating pregnant ex-girlfriend, throwing head in dumpster
A pregnant Illinois woman was decapitated at her home, where her head was discovered in a dumpster — and her ex-boyfriend has been charged in the brutal murder, authorities said.
Deundrea Holloway, 22, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of Liese Dodd, also 22, whose remains were found Thursday in her Alton home, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
He also was hit with two counts of intentional homicide of an unborn child, dismembering a human body, concealment of a homicide and possessing a stolen vehicle.
The head of the nearly eight-months-pregnant woman was found in the dumpster outside her apartment, according to the newspaper.
“What was observed, what was learned, what was found, is absolutely terrible,” Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido said, the Post-Dispatch reported. “She was decapitated by a freaking savage monster.”
Dodd’s mother, Heidi Noel, discovered the horrific scene on Bolivar Street when she went to check on her Thursday after she had not heard from the woman — who was expecting her first child, a baby girl, on July 27, according to the paper.
The family had reportedly been planning a shower for the baby, whose wish list included a pink princess crib sheet.
Officials have not said if the murder suspect — who Pulido said had “an on-and-off” relationship with Dodd for about two years — was the unborn baby’s father.
But the grief-stricken mother told KMOV that Holloway was not the father.
Noel described Dodd as a bright, loving soul with a “beautiful smile.”
“She was just a bright light that cared for everyone. She had a big heart. She’d do anything for anyone. She’d go out of her way to help people,” Noel told KMOV.
“She had attended college and was planning on going into the medical field. I’m a nurse, and, so, she was towing with heading in that direction,” she said.
“We were planning her baby shower for the end of this month. I had just sent out invitations the prior Saturday for the baby shower. We were just excited and gathering the items you need to have a baby,” Noel continued.
“She wasn’t set on a name yet. [She] said ‘my little bean.’ So, we essentially were calling the baby ‘baby bean,’” she added.
Noel told KMOV that she had been checking on her daughter every day because of the tumultuous nature of her relationship with Holloway — and decided to head over to the apartment because “there was quite a time span that she hadn’t responded to me.”