A man in South Dakota has been charged with murder and manslaughter after allegedly killing and decapitating a woman.
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Craig Allen Nichols Jr., 32, was arrested in Yankton, South Dakota, per court documents obtained by People. The arrest came after three women called police on Thursday, Jan. 2, when they found their friend decapitated in her apartment.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced in a press release that the woman had been identified as 41-year-old Heather Ann Bodden.
Court documents revealed that Yankton police responded to a call around 3:30 p.m. local time on Thursday. After speaking with three women at the scene, officers entered the apartment. Inside, they “observed what appeared to be a deceased headless person.”
Court documents revealed that one of the women told police that, on Jan. 1, Bodden had texted her saying her boyfriend, Nichols, had threatened her with a weapon earlier that day. When they hadn’t heard from Bodden in 24 hours, the women checked her apartment.
Security Footage Allegedly Shows the Suspect Repeatedly Entering and Leaving the Victim’s Apartment
Police obtained security footage showing three men, including Nichols, arriving at Bodden’s apartment at 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Two men, identified only as CE and CR, told police the group had used drugs. However, they insisted that Bodden was still alive when they left.
The two unidentified men were spotted leaving the apartment at 11:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, Nichols was later seen repeatedly entering and exiting the building between 2:50 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. He was also spotted carrying two trash bags.
According to court documents, police later searched Bodden’s apartment. There, authorities discovered a trash bag containing her head. They also found a bag of bloody clothing identified as belonging to Nichols and three weapons.
Investigators discovered shoes in Nichols’ apartment stained with a “reddish-brown substance.” According to court documents, Nichols also refused to provide blood and urine samples at the local hospital following his arrest.
Nichols has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and two counts of contempt of court.
Meanwhile, the Yankton Police Department and Yankton County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident, according to a joint press release on Facebook.
According to court records, Nichols will appear in court on Jan. 8.
Bodden’s family has created a GoFundMe page to raise funds to provide support for her daughter’s care.
The page noted that Bodden is survived by her parents, her daughter, seven siblings, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and a wide circle of “family and friends who loved her dearly.”