Woman beaten and strangled to death

USA. The police were summoned to an apartment when friends of the deceased recounted that she had failed to report for work. Police entered the apartment and discovered the nude body of the 27-year-old victim lying on the bedroom floor. Her pants and panties had been pulled down and her blouse was in disarray. A hairbrush had been inserted into her vagina. She had been beaten and strangled to death with a ligature, which was not present in the scene. A review of the crime scene indicated that someone had gone through the dresser drawers and closets, suggesting a burglary. The victim’s clothes were found scattered across the floor and the contents of the drawers were spilled out on the bed. There had been no forced entry, suggesting the victim had allowed the person into her apartment.

A check into the victimology indicated that the young woman was a divorcee who had left an abusive marriage. She had enrolled in a nursing program and had recently received her nurse certification. She had been dating since her divorce but did not have a steady boyfriend. The police investigation indicated that the crime scene had been staged to suggest a burglary. However, nothing of value was missing. There had been no sexual assault. However, the insertion of the hairbrush into her vagina certainly indicated an anger and rage consistent with an interpersonal-oriented dispute and assault.

The former husband emerged as the most promising suspect after the detectives were able to break his alibi. He had convinced his current girlfriend to provide him with an alibi. He had gone to his former wife’s apartment in an attempt to reconcile with her. When she refused his entreaty, he killed her in anger. He left the apartment and returned 24 hours later. At that time, he placed the hairbrush into her vagina and staged the crime scene to make it appear that a burglar had entered the location, sexually attacked the young woman, and then ransacked the apartment.