The body of a 5-year-old girl was discovered in Phenix City, Alabama, Russell County District Attorney Kenneth Davis told news outlet WRBL.
Kamarie Holland was last seen near Bowman Street on Monday morning in Columbus before her body was found in Alabama.
Jeremy Tremaine Williams has been charged with capital murder and is in custody in the Russell County Jail, WRBL reported Tuesday. Williams had an initial hearing at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported.
A search warrant was being executed Tuesday afternoon at Williams’ home on Dozier Street in Columbus, according to reporter Colin Scroggins. Kamarie’s mother and Williams knew each other, according to multiple reports.
Williams was captured Monday night at the Bamboo Motel on Opelika Road, the Ledger-Enquirer reported, citing Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor.
Initial evidence points to asphyxiation as Kamarie’s cause of death, Taylor said at a news conference Tuesday morning. Her body was sent for an autopsy, and investigators hope to recover DNA evidence, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.
Williams has a history of child abuse allegations and was not listed on any sex offender registries, the Ledger-Enquirer reported, citing Taylor.
In 2009, Williams was charged with abuse of children in Phenix City but was acquitted of charges in 2012, the Ledger-Enquirer reported. He faced a similar charge in Columbus, but Taylor told the Columbus newspaper he was not sure of that case’s outcome. Williams also was identified as a suspect in the death of a 1-year-old in Alaska, but he was never charged due to lack of evidence, Taylor told the Ledger-Enquirer.
The Russell County Coroner’s Office pronounced Kamarie dead at 11:15 p.m. Monday, WTVM reported.
Kamarie’s body was found in an abandoned house in the 1100 block of 15th Avenue in Phenix City, WRBL reported Tuesday. The house is next to West End Cemetery.
The police department canceled its missing person alert shortly before 9 p.m. Monday, WRBL reported.
Kamarie’s mother woke up about 5:50 a.m. Monday to find Kamarie missing and the front door open, Taylor said at the news conference. She called the Columbus Police Department at 6:15 a.m. to report her child missing.
Kamarie was last seen wearing a pink-and-white shirt and maroon pants with flowers and hearts, according to a tweet by police.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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