Oregon man who chopped up 28-year-old Sara Zghoul and stuffed her remains in suitcases sentenced to 65 years: 'The head is yet to be found'

An Oregon man has been sentenced to a minimum of 65 years in prison for murdering an Aloha woman and cutting up her body. 37-year-old Jeremiah Ward Johnston of Aloha was sentenced by Washington County Judge Ricardo Menchaca after he entered the guilty plea in the death of 28-year-old Sara Zghoul. He also pleaded guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder.

Zghoul's remains were discovered inside two suitcases in a black BMW car where Johnston's parents lived. She had been a model and actress and leaves behind an 8-year-old son.

Prosecutors said Zghoul had a drug problem and was set to go into a treatment program. Johnston was her dealer and she hadn't paid him the money that she owed him.

In lieu of the money, Johnston had tried to rope in Zghoul along with another dealer into a robbery.

He picked her up on January 19, 2018 from a hotel located in Beaverton, Oregon and took her to his parent’s house. 

Prosecutors alleged that he had tied her up with duct tape, but she tried to escape when she was released. An enraged Johnston threw Zghoul down the stairs killing her.

They alleged that he cut up her body; the head is yet to be found. He allegedly also changed the password to her phone so her family cannot access the device even though they have her cell phone.

Senior Deputy District Attorney John Gerhard and Deputy District Attorney Chris Lewman prosecuted the case and he will be more than 100 years old before he becomes eligible for parole consideration, the Washington County, Oregan DA said in a statement.

He had then called a friend who had a fishing boat and told him what happened, following which the friend reported the incident to the police. Prosecutors also said that he tried to hire a hitman while in jail to kill the friend and offered a $50,000 deal. A restitution hearing is scheduled for February 3, 2020.