Man charged with killing woman found in trash bag claims she hanged herself
A medical examiner, however, said Karen Hollis's injuries weren't consistent with hanging.
Mason Reed 
A man accused of disposing of a woman's body in a trash bag along an Alabama interstate is now facing murder charges. Randall Lendell Dejourney, 44, claims that 23-year-old Karen Deann Hollis died by suicide through hanging and that he merely moved her remains, but a medical examiner has testified that her injuries do not support that account.
Legal Proceedings Move Forward
Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Allen May determined there is sufficient evidence to advance the murder and corpse abuse charges against Dejourney to a grand jury for further consideration. Until the case proceeds, the judge has ordered that Dejourney remain held without bond.
Disappearance and Discovery
Karen Hollis was reported missing from Northport on May 8. Tragically, her family and friends discovered her remains on May 16 inside a trash bag located along I-20/59 in Greene County, as previously reported by our partners at AL.com.
Investigations revealed that Dejourney was at Hollis's apartment on the day she disappeared, reportedly planning to move in as she prepared to vacate the residence. Video evidence presented in court showed Dejourney leaving the apartment while carrying a blue tote containing a trash bag. Furthermore, phone records confirmed that the devices belonging to both Dejourney and Hollis traveled along I-59 simultaneously.
Investigation Details
Authorities have stated that a preliminary autopsy report officially identified the cause of death as asphyxiation, with the manner of death ruled a homicide. Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy confirmed that while the pair were acquaintances, a specific motive for the killing has not yet been established.
Remembering Karen Hollis
Friends and family have mourned Hollis as a vibrant and joyful person who loved the outdoors, including fishing and swimming. In a GoFundMe page established to assist her parents and sister with burial expenses, loved ones described her as a "beautiful, wonderful angel" and a "free spirit" whose infectious laughter brought light to those around her.
