ATLANTA — A man is now in custody after he allegedly killed his girlfriend, stuffed her body into a suitcase inside of their closet, and stole her car before being arrested in Atlanta on Saturday, police said.
It all started on Saturday morning around 7:30 a.m. when Thomaston Police Department responded to Thomaston Gardens Apartments along W. County Road in response to a missing person call. Family identified the missing woman as Margret Dubignon. They had not seen or heard from her since Thursday.
A welfare check was conducted at Dubignon's place on Friday night, but no one ever came to the door, police said. While the report was being filed, police found out her boyfriend who lived inside the apartment with her, Freddrick Durham, was not seen at the apartment and also discovered Dubignon's car was missing.
As officers investigated her vehicle information, they were called back out to her apartment complex around 9 a.m. Family members had called after they found a suitcase in her closet with what they believed was her dead body stuffed inside, police said. Thomaston Police Officers and Upson County Sheriff's Office deputies secured the scene and called out the coroner and EMS.
Dubignon's body was positively identified as the woman inside the suitcase, according to police. Investigators then determined that Durham likely took off with Dubignon's car and officially listed him as a possible homicide suspect in her death, according to police.
Using the Flock camera system, Thomaston Police Department said they were able to track her car down to an area in Atlanta. They got in contact with Atlanta Police and Georgia State Patrol to let them know to be on the lookout for the vehicle in the area the Flock camera spotted it in.
Two hours later, APD officers found the vehicle with Durham inside and were able to place him under arrest, according to Thomaston PD.
Durham was taken in for questioning and was subsequently charged with felony murder, concealing a death, tampering with evidence, and theft by taking a motor vehicle, police said.
"And a very special thanks to all the family members of the victim. This was a horrific crime and an extremely painful event, yet the family, in spite of their emotions, were incredibly composed, supportive and cooperative throughout todays investigation. Our thoughts and prayers are with them," Thomaston Police said in a social media post.
Additional charges for Durham could be pending, according to police.
