A Washington man was arrested this week after the decomposing body of a woman was found inside a suitcase at a homeless encampment late last month.
Police clearing the encampment at a junction in Seattle found Shannon Reeder’s body stuffed in a suitcase on Sept. 27.
The 37-year-old was last seen alive in November. Authorities determined that she was killed by an axe.
On Wednesday, authorities arrested 57-year-old Steven Thanh Nguyen on murder charges over Reeder’s death.
“The defendant appears to have murdered the victim with an axe or other sharp object, stashed her body inside a suitcase for weeks, and abandoned the victim’s remains to be bulldozed by a cleaning crew,” prosecutors said.
Nguyen who lived at the camp claimed Reeder overdosed on fentanyl while they smoked in his tent and fell on rocks.
He allegedly added that he wrapped her body in plastic and stuffed it in the suitcase which he placed inside a wooded podium under his bed.
Nguyen said he was scared after Reeder overdosed and didn’t want to notify police.
