Police: Body Of Missing Woman Found Inside Refrigerator In McKees Rocks Apartment Building, Man Charged
MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. (KDKA) - Homicide detectives are investigating after a body of a missing woman was found inside a refrigerator in a McKees Rocks apartment building.
Allegheny County Police say the homicide unit was called in after a body was found in a home on the 90 block of Helen Street in the borough of McKees Rocks around 9:45 a.m. Monday morning.
According to police, first responders found suspicious circumstances at the scene. Homicide detectives initiated an investigation.
"I'm not even sure it was a person at first. I saw a hand and a dirty sheet. It was gruesome," neighbor John Starling said.
The victim was later identified as 38-year-old Kristy Jefferson, who was reported missing at the end of April, the Allegheny County Police Department said.
Daryl Jones has also been charged with abuse of a corpse, officials said. He reportedly lives in the apartment.
Police haven't made it clear what the relationship was between Jefferson and Jones, but Jefferson's family feels she was in a bad relationship and was worried about her safety for some time.
Allegheny County Police say the body was found in an unplugged refrigerator in a hallway inside the apartment building. Neighbors say it was a smell that caused them to look in the fridge and call 911.
WATCH: KDKA's Nicole Ford Reports Live From McKees Rocks
"It was smelling. We didn't know where the smell was coming from because the fridge was facing backward," Starling said.
Jefferson's family is devastated and broken-hearted. They told KDKA Kristy was a mother of four.
The family also said they last spoke to her via Facebook Messenger video last week and reported her missing to police last week.
The family said it was very unusual for Jefferson not to check in with her family and four children, who are 18 and under.
Anyone with information is asked to call the county police tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.