EDENTON, N.C. — An Edenton man has been charged with murder in the death of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of a towed car, according to the Chowan Co. Sheriff's Office.
On Wednesday, Jan. 17, a private company in Washington, N.C. had a car in its parking lot towed, the sheriff's office said. After the car was moved to a local facility, a towing truck employee found the body of a woman in the trunk, according to the sheriff's office.
Police believe the deceased woman is 19-year-old Elizabeth City State University student Amarriah Smith. Smith was an Elementary Education major at ECSU.
News
Edenton man charged in connection to multi N.C. county death investigation
Earlier this week the university held a vigil in her honor.
“She was a vibrant young lady by all accounts, she was an elementary education major and very committed and excited about how she could bring a level of creativity into the k through 12 environment," said ECSU's Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students, Dr. Nichole Lewis.
The sheriff's office says they later learned that the suspect, Jordan Thomas, 29, left the car in the private company’s parking lot and stole a truck from that spot. The stolen truck was found at a hospital in Washington, North Carolina, and Thomas was arrested. He was originally charged with Larceny of a motor vehicle and concealing the death of a person.
On Monday, he was charged with murder.
The chancellor of the university also issued a statement after her death:
We regret to inform you of the passing of Amarriah Smith, a freshman, Elementary Education student. Smith, 19, was a native of Nashville, North Carolina. Her untimely death, which occurred off campus, has left our community saddened. Please keep Amarriah’s family and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time
ECSU has set up student resources on campus for those dealing with grief.
The sheriff's office believes Smith was murdered at a different location, and say they found evidence at the Edenton residence where Thomas was living. However, it is still unclear whether Smith was murdered there or elsewhere, and they have not yet determined a cause of death.
The sheriff's office also believes that Thomas and Smith knew each other.
Thomas was charged on Monday, Jan. 22, and is being held at the Chowan Co. Detention Center.
The agencies who collaborated on this investigation include the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chowan County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation is ongoing.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
