A missing Bellwood woman was found dead in the trunk of a car Wednesday night in the South Side’s Hamilton Park community and police have her ex-boyfriend in custody for the murder, authorities said.
Fertamia Smith, 35, of the 3500 block of Jackson St. in Bellwood, was found dead in the trunk of a vehicle at 51 W. 68th St. and was pronounced dead on the scene at 1:50 a.m. Thursday, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said.
Bellwood Deputy Chief Richard Blass said village police would be in a Maywood courtroom Thursday morning requesting a search warrant to search Smith's ex-boyfriend's home. If the warrant is approved, he expected the evidence search to occur Thursday afternoon.
Smith was last seen the morning of Sunday, April 5, when her ex-boyfriend picked her up to go to church, Blass said. The couple didn't show up at church, and Smith did not report to work Monday or Tuesday, he said. Authorities said Smith is the woman family reported missing from Bellwood Tuesday.
The couple have four minor children, Blass said.
Smith’s ex-boyfriend gave his attorney the keys to a car and said the body could be found inside. The attorney flagged down a Chicago Police officer offer and said, “I want to report a crime,” Blass said.
The man, also of Bellwood, turned himself in to Chicago police, who immediately notified Bellwood police. The man was being questioned by Bellwood detectives and representatives from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office early Thursday at the Bellwood police station, Blass said.
Charges against the man, also in his 30s, are expected to be pending Thursday afternoon, Blass said.
“We are treating this as a homicide investigation,” Blass said.
