A 23-year-old Alabama woman, who went missing for over a week, has been found dead. A 44-year-old man is now facing charges in connection with her death.
Karen Deann Hollis was last spotted around midnight on May 8 in Northport, a city roughly 60 miles from Birmingham, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Northport police. Authorities noted she had a medical condition that could affect her judgment. Her disappearance triggered an urgent search and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency put out a missing and endangered person’s alert. Her body was eventually discovered by her own family and friends on May 16, which was 8 days after she disappeared in Greaene County as per WBRC.
Karen Deann Hollis’ last text message to her boyfriend
The last known contact Hollis had with anyone was a text to her boyfriend, Zackary Slaughter which said that she was stepping out to get a Reese’s peanut butter cup. As per New York Post, Slaughter told CBS42 about their final exchange: “She texted me at 11pm saying she didn’t feel good. I tried calling her at 4 that morning when I woke up, and then at 5am detectives were knocking on my door.”
Slaughter also said that when police came to his door, they looked at him as a possible suspect.
There was also a complicated history between Slaughter and Hollis. A bail bondsman had previously told Slaughter to stay away from Hollis because he had an old domestic violence charge against him. However, Slaughter said the two had sorted things out and were on good terms again before she went missing.
He was clearly broken by the fact that he could not reach her in time. “I was one phone call away and she never got the opportunity, and I wasn’t there,” he said.
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Police arrest man and more charges may be added
Following multiple search warrants and the collection of physical, witness and electronic evidence, investigators detained a person of interest shortly after Hollis was found dead, per WBRC.
Randall Lendell Dejourney, 44, was charged with abuse of a corpse. He is currently being held in county jail on a $15,000 cash bond. An autopsy is underway and authorities say additional charges could follow. No further details about Dejourney have been released at this time, according to WBRC.
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Sister shared emotional messages
Hollis’ sister Brandy has been publicly expressing her grief on Facebook. “Oh I miss you. My heart is hurting. We was planning on hanging out again an going fishing. Please tell our brother tat I miss him n love him. You #forever23 just like him,” she wrote in one post. In another post, she said, “I want her back so bad. A piece of me left with her.”
