A man allegedly killed her girlfriend before dismembering her, dumping her torso in a park, and keeping her head and organs inside a suitcase as he traveled to Illinois.
The Jefferson County Coroner's Office confirmed that the victim of the horrific murder was Ladawndra Ellington, a 31-year-old black woman from Louisville, Kentucky.
'A part of her with me'
According to The Sun, police officers said that the suspect, 30-year-old Melvin Martin Jr., murdered and dismembered Ellington and placed her head, lower torso, and organs inside duffel bags. Authorities said he then took a five-hour interstate trip from Louisville to Markham.
Later, officials discovered the victim's torso in a park in the couple's residential area. The suspect's mother made the horrific discovery after she and several other family members noticed a foul stench coming from the bags.
On Tuesday, the suspect's mother opened one of the heavy bags and saw the gruesome scene. She immediately called the police and reported the incident.
A recording of the 911 call had the suspect's mother saying she picked up her son's bags when he came home because he was having a difficult time. However, the suspect refused the assistance and quickly brought the bags into the garage.
Martin's mother revealed that she had asked her son to show her the contents of the suitcases after she took him to the library. She added that it looked like the bags contained a body.
Police officers arrested Martin at the Markham library and charged him as a fugitive attempting to flee prosecution. Authorities stated he was not cooperative at the beginning but later gave a full statement, as reported by Daily Mail.
Born out of a dispute
During a news conference, Terry White, the Markham police chief, revealed that Martin said that despite the horrific murder, he still wanted to be with his girlfriend, Ellington, even if it was just a part of her.
Martin's family first became suspicious of his actions when he kept close guard of the bags for several days without opening them up. Despite bringing multiple luggage, he also asked his family to purchase clothes for him.
Authorities believe the murder resulted from a domestic dispute between the two around a month ago when they were at their residence in Louisville. Ellington was a former team member and worked as a cashier at the Louisville Airport until 2018.
Vice President George Tinsley II of the Tinsley Family Concessions was the victim's employer and said that Ellington was a sweetheart to everyone she met and spoke with as an employee. He added the victim was considered an exceptional team member amongst them.
Tinsley II said that if there was one thing the world should know about Ellington, it was that she was an inspiration to them. He added that the victim stood out during her time at the airport and became one of the best team members they could have hoped for.
After the incident which Tinsley considered tragic, he revealed that he was so devastated he could not speak for several hours.
As of now, Martin is kept in official custody but has not yet been charged. However, during a court hearing in Chicago on Thursday, he waived his extradition.
