A man has been arrested for allegedly killing a woman who was found dead near a dumpster in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Altavious Powell was arrested on Thursday, February 19, and charged with first degree murder, according to online records viewed Us Weekly.
Fort Lauderdale police responded to the 200 block of Northwest 15th Avenue on Wednesday, February 18, just before 7:30 a.m., according to NBC Miami. Upon their arrival, authorities found the body of a woman.
The woman has been identified as a 30-year-old Daneshia Hellerthrough the outlet.
Police quickly began an investigation into the matter and Powell, 34, was arrested on charges unrelated to Heller’s death. However, the detectives were soon able to identify Powell as the suspect in this case and he was charged with first degree murder.
Powell was then taken into custody and is currently being held without bond, according to online documents viewed by Us.
It is not yet clear whether Powell has entered a plea or stayed the legal decision following his arrest.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department did not immediately respond Us‘ a request for comment on the case.
It is not yet clear whether Powell and Heller knew each other before this incident or whether Powell had a motive for the murder.
When Heller’s body was found, 7News reported that she was covered in pieces of cardboard. The dumpster is next to the apartment and on the other side of the fence shared with North Fork Elementary School.
“You have kids that get up early, go to school, they have to take the bus, so how many people are walking by that body this morning,” a concerned resident wondered when speaking to 7News after Heller’s body was found.
Another last-minute Christmas shopping spree ended tragically in Florida with the death of a 65-year-old woman and her mother, all because of her proximity to the suspect. Rita Loncharich was attacked while browsing books at Barnes and Noble in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Monday, December 22, allegedly by Antonio Moore, 40, according to the report. […]
Before the body was revealed, many residents were shocked by the situation. “That’s a person’s life, it shook my neighborhood,” said another.
“For me, it hurts because that is a person’s life, no one has the right to kill another person,” said one resident who told the newspaper.
Another resident who lives near the crime scene told the outlet that his son allegedly saw a small object on Tuesday night, February 17.
“He saw a man and a woman in the cave who were smoking, and that was it,” said the woman. He said the man looked bad, but that was about health, or maybe he was just not feeling well. These apartments are always empty, so it could be a squatter, you know, it could be anybody.
Additionally, many residents of the area have expressed their concern about squatters living behind the flats near where the body was found.
“We have homeless people behind the fence who are supposed to protect us but they are not protecting us, it is not really safe,” said another resident.
Investigators initially said they did not see any injuries on Heller’s body and his condition has not been released, according to the store.
