Police Looking For Person Of Interest In Woman's Death, Aunt Speaks Out
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City Police looking for the person who killed a young mother, then dumped her body in a southwest Baltimore park. Investigators have a "person of interest" they want to question, her boyfriend, who is now missing.
Police say 20-year-old Tonja Chadwick was murdered inside her apartment, but she was found dead in a southwest Baltimore park with trauma to her body.
RELATED: Police Find Body in Baltimore Park
Police say they are searching for her boyfriend, Marco Holmes, a man they are calling a "person of interest."
Chadwick was found wrapped up and toss down an embankment after she had been missing for days.
"It's a repulsive act with little regard for human life," says Baltimore City Police spokesman T.J. Smith.
Tonja Chadwick vanished nearly a week ago and after searching her apartment, which she shared with her boyfriend at Parkside Gardens in northeast Baltimore, police say the evidence there was consistent with a crime scene.
That evidence, along with tips from the community, led them to southwest Baltimore Thursday night, where they found her body.
"We believe she was murdered inside her apartment in Parkside Gardens, then the killer committed the equally disgusting act of discarding her body in a wooded and rugged terrain," says Smith.
Through Friday afternoon, police remained on scene in Daisy Park. Investigators are trying to figure out how Chadwick's body got there.
"We do believe that Holmes was one of the last people to see her alive," says Smith. Police say there were domestic problems in the past.
Police believe Holmes could be in a blue Nissan Infiniti with a license plate of 9CS 0691.
Tonja Chadwick's family was holding out hope that this young mother would be found alive, but now they have this devastating news.
Tonja's family last saw her Saturday, when she dropped off her four-year-old son.
Tonja's aunt says she is trying to hold it together for Tonja's mother, who is devastated by her daughter's death.
"Hurt. I still can't believe it's true," says Tonja's aunt Latanya Chadwick, who was one of the last people to see her alive, says her family just wants answers.
"She is trying, but losing a child is the worst thing anyone could do in life. You think you children will bury you, and you will not bury your children. I can't describe how she's feeling. I know it's horrible. It hurts. I still cannot believe it's true, it's my niece," says Latanya Chadwick.
"We can't bring J back, she's gone. But I want my sister to get justice. I want to know why, I want to know why," she says.
The family says no funeral arrangements have been made. The boyfriend has been named as a person of interest, and the family has called on him to come forward. They are searching for Holmes but they have no leads.
Police are asking anyone with information about Tonja Chadwick's murder to call them at (410) 396-2100, text a tip to 443-902-4824, or call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
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