The Mother of a South Dakota boy was found beheaded and her skull placed in a “trash bag” just one day after she reported that her boyfriend had threatened her
A mom was found decapitated just one day after sending an ominous message to a friend.
Heather Ann Bodden’s headless body was discovered in her apartment in South Dakota on January 2 by three of her friends. The 41-year-old’s head was found stuffed into a bin bag, which police came across after searching the home.
Ms Bodden’s boyfriend, Craig Allen Nichols Jr, 32, has been arrested in relation to the killing.
One of Ms Bodden’s friends told police that she had received a disturbing text message from the victim on January 1, according to court documents obtained by People. She had allegedly said that Nichols had threatened her with a weapon that same afternoon.
After not hearing from the victim for more than 24 hours, the concerned trio decided to meet up at her apartment in Yankton, South Dakota, to check on her. There they found her decapitated body.
Security camera footage seen by police shows three men – one of them identified as Nichols – arriving at Ms Bodden’s property at roughly 10pm on 31 December.
The two other men, who have only been referred to by their initials thus far – CE and CR – told police that the four of them, MS Bodden and the three men, had engaged in the use of narcotics.
They stated that Ms Bodden was alive when they both left the home at around 11pm that same day. Nichols, who is from South Dakota, was seen leaving Ms Bodden’s flat later on.
The suspect left and returned several times between the hours of 2.50am and 6.45am, and at one point was allegedly carrying two bin bags out of the building.
As well as the discovery of the victim’s severed body, police report they also found a bag of clothing covered in blood, labelled as belonging to Nichols.
They also found three weapons wrapped in a floor mat. After searching the suspect’s flat, police found shoes covered with a reddish-brown substance.
The Yankton Police Department and Yankton County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the incident.
Ex-Boyfriend Shoots Woman While She’s Driving in Pennsylvania, Causing Crash and Flip
Nichols is facing charges including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and two counts of contempt of court. Nichols is next due in court on January 8.
Heather’s family has since opened up about her death, using a GoFundMe page to help raise money for her funeral expenses. The fundraiser reads: “Heather was a bright spark in this world. Her friends and family loved her quick wit as she was always ready with a joke or snappy comeback. She loved her daughter Lily to the ends of the earth and her mom, Pat, was her best friend in the world. Pat, and Heather’s stepdad, Sherman, will be caring for Lily.”
She is survived by her daughter, parents, seven siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and “many more family and friends who loved her dearly”.