A mother was discovered decapitated only one day after sending an unsettling message to a friend.
Heather Ann Bodden’s headless body was discovered in her South Dakota residence on January 2 by three friends. The 41-year-old’s head was discovered put inside a rubbish bag when police searched the house.
Craig Allen Nichols Jr., 32, Ms Bodden’s boyfriend, has been detained in connection with the crime.
According to court documents obtained by People, one of Ms Bodden’s friends reported to police that she got a troubling text message from the victim on January 1. She allegedly said that Nichols had threatened her with a weapon that day.
After not hearing from the victim in over 24 hours, the concerned three agreed to meet at her residence in Yankton, South Dakota, to check on her. There they discovered her decapitated body.
Security camera footage obtained by police shows three individuals, one of whom is identified as Nichols, arriving to Ms Bodden’s residence at 10 p.m. on December 31.
The two other males, identified only by their initials – CE and CR – told police that the four of them, MS Bodden and the three men, had used narcotics.
They reported that Ms Bodden was still alive when they left the house about 11 p.m. that day. Nichols, a South Dakota native, was later observed leaving Ms. Bodden’s flat.
Between 2.50am and 6.45am, the suspect left and returned many times, and he was allegedly taking two bin bags out of the building.
In addition to the victim’s decapitated body, investigators say they discovered a bag of bloodied clothing labeled as Nichols’.
They also discovered three weapons wrapped in a floor mat. After examining the suspect’s apartment, authorities discovered shoes smeared in a reddish-brown material.
The Yankton Police Department and Yankton County Sheriff’s Office are still looking into the event.
Nichols faces charges of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and two counts of contempt of court. Nichols’ next court appearance is scheduled for January 8.
Heather’s family has already spoken out about her passing, launching a GoFundMe campaign to assist pay for her burial expenses. The fundraiser states, “Heather was a bright spark in this world. Her friends and family admired her quick wit, as she was always prepared with a joke or a snappy response. She adored her daughter Lily and considered her mother, Pat, her dearest friend in the entire world. Pat and Heather’s stepfather, Sherman, will care for Lily.
She is survived by her kid, parents, seven siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and “many more family and friends who loved her dearly”.