CARINA SAUNDERS - 19 yo - Bethany OK

BETHANY, Oklahoma -- During a press conference on
Monday, Bethany police released the identity of the body found in a
duffel bag in Bethany on Thursday, October 13.

10/13/2011 Related Story: Body Found In Duffel Bag In Bethany Field


According to Phil Cole, Chief of Police at the
Bethany Police Department, the body has been identified as 19-year-old
Carina Saunders. Police said tattoos helped investigators identify the
teenager before the Medical Examiner's official report.

According to police, an animal rescue group found
the duffel bag in a wooded area behind the Homeland near N.W. 23rd
Street and N. Rockwell Avenue and called 911. Police believe the body
had been there for three or four days before it was found.

Police said Saunders' family last reported seeing
her on September 28. The family filed a missing person's report at the
Oklahoma City Police Department, and started a Facebook page called
Carina Come Home.

According to the page, someone last spotted
Saunders at an apartment complex near Northwest 41st and MacArthur Blvd.
on October 8 and 9.

"She had friends in that complex. It was not unusual for her to be on that property," Chief Cole said.

Police said investigators were able to gather
leads from the first day of the investigation, because tattoos match
those shown on Saunders' body in a picture from Facebook.



"When we had a tentative idea that this may be who it was, we started to work immediately," Chief Cole said.

Police said they have several leads but no
motivation for the killing. If you have any information in the case,
call Bethany police at (405)-789-2323.


The Oklahoma State Bureau Of Investigation is working with Bethany police to try and develop a suspect in the case.

Saunders' family released the following statement on a Facebook page:

Carina's father and I need
to inform all of you that Carina has gone home to be with her Lord and
Savior. We wanted to let everyone close to her know before you found out
on the news. Thank you so much for all your prayers, and love and
support. Please keep them coming as our family is going through this
time of trial.
http://www.newson6.com/story/15715169/police-identify-body-found-in-duffel-bag-in-bethany-field

BETHANY, Okla. -- New
information is being released into the murder of a 19-year-old Bethany
girl. Last week, the body of Carina Sanuders was found stuffed inside a
duffle bag behind a Homeland store.

Wednesday, police named two persons of interest in the case.
Those men are Cody Perez and Kyle Tweed.
One of the men, Tweed was interviewed by police and has been released.
The other, Perez, has been missing for several days.

Right now the pair are not being named as suspects, although police hope they may help solve the case.
Perez hasn't been seen since early last week.
Police say Perez likely fled to Texas or California.
"We truly feel Perez attempted to leave the metro on the 11th," Bethany Police Chief Phil Cole said.
Police records may shed some light on the connection between Tweed and Perez.

Perez's mother reported she feared something may have happened to
Perez because he was having problems with a "tweet" or "tween," perhaps
meaning Tweed.

The report continues "tweet" came to Perez's apartment one night and
threatened Perez saying, "He was gonna take it to the next level."

Chief Cole wouldn't detail exactly how the two men knew the victim, Saunders.

"At this point, releasing information on the relationships between the two
persons could compromise the investigation," Cheif Cole said.

Cole simply said solving the murder mystery is their top priority.

"We have a family grieving. Friends who loved the victim. Our officers here
have children. It's the most important thing in Bethany as far as our
department is concerned," Chief Cole said.

Anyone with information on Perez is asked to contact Bethany police.
http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-persons-on-interest-in-search-for-womans-killer-20111019,0,5817505.story

 BETHANY, Okla. -- A huge break
into a murder mystery in Bethany. Bethany police arrest one man
suspected of taking part in the murder of 19-year-old Carina
Saunders. Saunders' body was found stuffed in a duffle bag behind a
local Homeland store.

Right now one man, Jimmy Lee Massey, Jr., is behind bars.




Police say several others
involved in a local drug and prostitution ring likely helped with the
murder.

Before anyone discovered Saunders' body, investigators claim Massey kidnapped another female.

"Mr. Massey restrained this kidnapping victim and forced her to
watch the murder of Carina," Bethany police chief Phil Cole said.

According
to court records, "Massey went on to describe in very specific and
graphic details how the body of Saunders had been tortured and finally
dismembered prior to its disposal."

The kidnapped female was then
given "a message to relay to her associates that this is what happens
to people who don't cooperate."

"We believe the murder of
Saunders was to send a message to the kidnapping victim and others they
needed to take part in the human trafficking side of this criminal
organization," Cole said.

Massey remains behind bars at the Oklahoma County jail on drug charges.

Another man, Francisco Gomez, also faces the same drug charges.

He's on the run from police and is now being called a person of interest in the Saunders' murder.

The case may not end there.

"There's
a lot of work to be done. We believe there are others involved in the
murder of Carina Saunders. We're working to ID these people," Cole said.
Chief Cole said Saunders apparently knew some of the people involved in
the crime ring but is not suspected of any criminal activity prior to
her murder.

"Our information is she was a random choice, as sad as that is," Cole said.

The name of the kidnapping victim is not being released to protect her safety.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Gomez is asked to contact Bethany police.





http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-graphic-suspect-arrested-after-girls-body-found-in-duffle-bag-20111220,0,6407719.story