Woman whose family found her dead in trash bag on side of interstate was murdered, police say

Authorities confirmed Tuesday that 23-year-old Karen Deann Hollis, whose body was discovered by loved ones inside a large black trash bag along an interstate, was the victim of a homicide. The tragic development follows a multi-day search that began after the Northport woman was found dead on the side of Interstate 20/59.

Investigation into a homicide

Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy stated that a preliminary autopsy confirmed Hollis died by asphyxiation. While she vanished from Northport on May 8, her remains were not located until Saturday. Following the discovery, 44-year-old Randall Lendell Dejourney has been upgraded from a charge of abuse of a corpse to murder.

Kennedy noted that while the motive remains under investigation, the two were acquaintances who knew each other through mutual connections at their apartment complex. He emphasized that there is no indication of a romantic relationship between the two.

Tracking the timeline

Hollis was last seen alive around midnight on May 8 in the vicinity of 43rd Avenue in Northport. Detectives believe she was killed early that same morning. Because Hollis lived with a condition that could potentially impair her judgment, the disappearance triggered a missing person alert from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Evidence collected by investigators paints a grim timeline. Security footage from the victim's apartment complex showed Dejourney walking with Hollis, later appearing to carry a large tote containing a heavy black bag. Cell tower data and Life360 location pings confirmed that Dejourney's movements mirrored the path taken by Hollis's phone, which had sent a crash notification to family members before a missing person report was even filed.

A tragic discovery

After an exhaustive search by law enforcement, friends, and family, Hollis's body was recovered Saturday roughly 10 to 15 feet off the eastbound side of I-20/59 in Greene County. Capt. Kennedy characterized the disposal of the body as "hastily discarded" and expressed shock that it occurred on an active stretch of interstate. "This case has been a priority from Day 1 for us and the Northport Police Department," Kennedy stated. "We’ve been working on it around the clock."

The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Karen Deann Hollis remains active as 205focus.com continues to monitor updates on the case.