Body Found in Southwest Baltimore Park Was Missing Woman: Police

BALTIMORE, MD — Authorities found the body of Tonja Deshaun Chadwick, 20, in a southwest Baltimore park Thursday night based on community tips, police have confirmed.

"This is officially a murder investigation," Baltimore Police spokesman T.J. Smith said at a Friday afternoon press conference.

Authorities believe Chadwick was murdered inside her Parkside Gardens apartment, then the killer discarded the body, which was found in Daisy Park off Hilton Street, according to Smith.

Officers following up on tips located the body after walking down a steep embankment and looking under debris, according to Smith. There was trauma to her body, he said.

"It's an absolutely repulsive act with little regard for human life," Smith said.

Chadwick was last seen on Saturday, Jan. 28, dropping off her 4-year-old son in the 3400 block of Mayfield Avenue.

When she did not arrive to pick up her boy, Chadwick was reported missing on Monday, Jan. 30; and after investigators found blood and other evidence in her apartment indicating that a crime had occurred, police said the disappearance was classified as suspicious.

Her vehicle was found over the city line on McClean Boulevard, and her cell phone was located near the apartment complex, Smith said. Parkside Gardens is in the 5300 block of Moravia Road in northeast Baltimore.

Her boyfriend, 22-year-old Marco Jamal Holmes, has not been seen or heard from in several days.

Holmes is considered a person of interest, police said on Friday, and he may have been one of the last people to see Chadwick alive. He is described as 5'5" tall and 140 pounds. Holmes drives a blue 2004 four-door Infiniti G35 with MD tags 9CS0691, police said.

There were undocumented domestic issues allegedly between Holmes and Chadwick and one documented verbal incident involving the couple, according to police.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Marco Jamal Holmes is asked to call Detective Frank Miller of the homicide unit at 410-396-2100.

People may also send tips to Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-877-7LOCKUP or text a tip line at 443-902-4824.

See Also: Woman Missing Under 'Suspicious Circumstances,' Baltimore Police Say