Police in Niagara Falls are investigating why an Ohio man drove to Niagara Falls with the body of a dead woman in the trunk of his car.
Niagara Falls investigators say the driver is 37-year-old JeShawn Elliott from Youngstown, Ohio.
Police are not identifying the woman until a positive identification can be confirmed.
If anyone in Niagara Falls had contact with Jeshawn Elliott yesterday, asked to contact NF PD so they can determine timeline.@WKBW pic.twitter.com/urIaOhay7u
— Thuy Lan Nguyen (@ThuyLanWKBW) August 10, 2017
Falls police got a tip from a man in Youngstown, Ohio, just after 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, saying his brother had called him, explaining he stabbed his girlfriend, Anvia Mickens, and left her inside a car. Police say Elliott used a random person's cell phone, in Niagara Falls, to call his brother.
Police say the suspect parked his car at a city owned lot, near Tony Roma's on Buffalo Avenue, rented a bike and ran off, leaving the body in the trunk of the vehicle. Officers found the vehicle first, and then the suspect a short time later.
More than two-dozen officers were in the downtown Niagara Falls area searching for the suspect.
Police say the victim had multiple stab wounds.
Officers had to use a taser on the suspect because they say he lunged at them with a knife. In all, the department had the suspect in custody within 20 minutes of receiving a tip call from Youngstown.
Investigators are working to determine why the suspect was heading to Niagara Falls. They determined the suspect and victim had a domestic relationship.
During arraignment, it was revealed Elliott is charged with attempted assault of an officer with a deadly weapon and menacing an officer. He pleaded not guilty in Niagara Falls City Court.
Prosecutors are looking into possible homicide charges.
Jeshawn Elliot- NF PD says he had body in his trunk. From Youngstown. He waived arraignment, prelim hearing. Straight to grand jury @wkbw pic.twitter.com/XAQVEUCxWA
— Thuy Lan Nguyen (@ThuyLanWKBW) August 10, 2017
Elliott waived his right to a felony hearing, where more evidence would have been revealed in the case against him. Instead, the case against him will be presented to a Niagara County Grand Jury. They will determine if there is enough evidence to indict Elliott and officially charge him.
Prosecutors believe Elliott was traveling through Niagara Falls and heading for the border to evade police detection.
He's being held on $200,000 cash bail.
There is a question, however, if Niagara Falls police and prosecutors in Niagara County still have jurisdiction over this case because Elliott lives out of state.
Detectives say a large knife was picked up at the scene, in addition to the knife police say he was wielding when officers tased him.
Police say the suspect had a laceration on his hand, which they believe is from his own knife.
Police are heading to Youngstown, Ohio to speak with eyewitnesses and to collect evidence.
The suspect has not been cooperative with police and has refused to give them a statement.
An autopsy is being done on the victim, Thursday, to determine a cause of death and make a positive identification.
Police are looking to speak with anyone, who was in the Falls during this incident, and who may have had contact with Elliott.
