What happened to Amarriah Smith? Suspect charged as 19-year-old found dead in car trunk

19-year-old Elizabeth City State University student Amarriah Smith's body was found in the trunk of an abandoned car on January 17, 2024. While authorities believe that the remains belonged to Smith, they are yet to officially confirm the same.

Police identified the suspect as Jordan Isaiah Thomas and filed murder charges against him as well. Officials mentioned that Amarriah and the suspect knew each other and that the victim was allegedly killed at a different location from where the body was discovered.

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Officials believe the remains found in an abandoned car belong to Amarriah Smith

A horrific discovery was made by the authorities in North Carolina as they seemingly found the remains of Amarriah Smith in the trunk of an abandoned car. Despite the assumptions, the medical examiner has yet to confirm the victim's identity.

The teenager grew up in Nash County and later graduated from Nash Central High School.

WRAL reported that the abandoned vehicle was spotted in the parking lot along U.S. Highway 264 in Washington. A tow truck company was notified by a private company to have the car moved. A tow truck worker first discovered the body when they were moving the car.

The suspect, Thomas, allegedly left his car in the parking area and then reportedly stole a truck. Investigating officers later found the stolen vehicle at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital in Washington, where Thomas was apprehended.

As mentioned earlier, the alleged murder didn't take place where the body was discovered. Officials reportedly found evidence at Thomas' house in Edenton, as per Fox19. However, they couldn't confirm if the murder took place there or at another location.

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The victim's family is grieving the tragic loss

Law enforcement officials are working to determine the cause of death of 19-year-old Amarriah Smith. Meanwhile, the deceased teenager's family is trying to cope with the tragic loss. As per WRAL, Terkessah Odom, her mother, said:

"I don’t even know when my baby died. We didn’t just lose her to death, someone stole her from us."

The teenager's dad, Lawayne Odom, also spoke about his daughter's death and said:

"Any parent that is listening - wrap your hand around your child because once they are gone, you can’t wrap your arms around them no more."

Amarriah Smith was reportedly an aspiring teacher and her sister Alana, addressed Thomas as said:

"I would tell his family, you raised a monster."

The suspect is currently being held at Chowan County Detention Center without bond. The case is being jointly investigated by the Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, and Chowan County Sheriff’s Office.