A 22-year-old pregnant woman from Illinois was found decapitated weeks before her baby shower after her ex-boyfriend killed her. Liese Dodd, who was eight months pregnant with her first child, was found dead by her mother last Thursday in her apartment in Alton, Illinois. Her head was discovered in a dumpster outside her flat, according to court documents.
Police have arrested her ex-boyfriend Deundrea Holloway, 22, on suspicion of murder. According to Illinois news site Riverbender, he is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of deliberate homicide of an unborn child, dismembering a human body, motor vehicle offences, and concealment of a homicide death.
Killed Mercilessly
Dodd was eight months pregnant and was due to give birth in July but died tragically allegedly in the hand of her ex-boyfriend. Dodd's head was discovered by her mother, who went to her daughter's house after becoming concerned because she hadn't heard from her in a long time.
However, her mother only found her head, which was dumped in a rubbish bin outside her apartment. The beheading of the 22-year-old woman has been termed as "abominable" by police.
It is not known where her body was found. Police arrested Halloway a couple of days later on suspicion of Dodd and her unborn child's murder.
Two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of deliberate homicide of an unborn child, dismembering a human body, motor vehicle violations, and concealment of a homicide death have been filed against the suspect.
Illinois police chief Marcos Pulido held up an image of Dodds and said: "She was savagely, savagely killed."
"It's beyond reprehensible," he added. He referred to the suspect as a "monster" several times.
Heidi Noel, Dodd's mother, said the family was planning a baby shower for Dodd at the end of the month, and that they were gathering items in preparation for the birth in late July.
Shattered Family
Noel, who is now organizing a funeral for her daughter and granddaughter, said the invitations had been sent out and the family was gathering gifts.
Holloway was not the father of the child, according to her, but the two had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for two years.
"We were planning her baby shower for the end of this month," Noel told KMOV. "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. She wasn't set on a name yet. [She] said 'my little bean'. So, we essentially were calling the baby 'baby bean'."
Dodd had recently moved to Alton after growing up and attending school in Jerseyville, Illinois.
Because of the 'nature' of Dodd's relationship with Holloway, Noel said she would check in with her daughter every day. She decided to check on her when she hadn't responded in a while. Unfortunately, she was found dead.
