Kentucky man dismembered girlfriend, dumped torso and took bags stuffed with organs on 5-hour bus ride to Illinois
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: The Jefferson County Coroner's Office confirmed that 31-year-old Ladawndra Ellington of Louisville, Kentucky, was the victim in a bone-chilling crime, The Sun reported. The former boss of the woman whose mutilated remains were stuffed in three bags and hauled on an interstate Greyhound bus trip has described her as a "sweetheart."
The suspect, 30-year-old Melvin Martin Jnr, allegedly killed and dismembered Ellington before stuffing her head, lower torso, and organs, in three duffel bags -- which he took on a five-hour journey from Louisville to Markham in Illinois, police say.
Authorities said the victim's upper torso was found in a park in Louisville. Meanwhile, Martin's family members in Markham complained of a "foul smell" coming from three heavy bags he had brought with himself. His mother opened one of them on Tuesday and immediately summoned the police.
CBS Chicago obtained a recording of the 911 call. "I picked him up ’cause he was coming home," Martin's mother is heard telling the dispatcher. "He was having a hard time, but he took this suitcase in my garage."
"I just took him to the library and I said, let me see what’s in this suitcase," she continued. "And it looks like there's a body in there."
Police apprehended Martin at a library in Markham, before charging him as a fugitive fleeing prosecution. They said he wasn't cooperating initially, but gave a full statement eventually.
Markham police Chief Terry White told a news conference on Wednesday how Martin "indicated that, as grotesque as it might sound, that he still wanted to be with her, at least part of her."
According to the report, Martin's family members became suspicious after he appeared to be guarding his suitcases, which he hadn't unpacked for days. Furthermore, he asked them to buy him clothes despite having arrived with several bags of luggage.
Police believe the victim was killed during a domestic dispute at the couple's Louisville home about a month ago. It emerged that Ellington had formerly worked as a cashier at Louisville Airport, but left the job in 2018.
Tinsley Family Concessions Vice President George Tinsley II, Ellington's former boss from her time working at the airport, told The Sun that she was "a sweetheart."
"She was a very special team member of ours," he said. "If the world is ever going to know anything about her... she was an inspiration. She blossomed in front of my eyes, in front of the team's eyes."
He continued, "In a time where finding great team members is hard to do, she stood out and developed into one of the best team members we can hope for. It's extremely tragic what has happened. I couldn't speak for hours when I found out."
Ellington had taken up paralegal studies at Louisville University, according to her Facebook page. She reportedly even had a brief stint as a reservation manager at a car hiring firm.
Her killer is now remanded in custody, albeit he is yet to be charged in Kentucky. According to the report, Martin waived his extradition during a court hearing in Chicago Thursday morning.