Working together: Arrests made in Kenosha lead authorities in Alabama to discover missing man's body

Working together: Arrests made in Kenosha lead authorities in Alabama to discover missing man`s body

KENOSHA/ALABAMA (WITI) -- Kenosha police say arrests made in Wisconsin led authorities in Alabama to discover a missing man's body.

It all started last Tuesday, January 13th -- when Kenosha police received a complaint about a vehicle parked in the 2100 block of 89th Street -- blocking a bus stop. Police checked the license plate information, and it was learned the car's owner, 53-year-old David Hayes had been reported missing out of Cullman County, Alabama.

Less than an hour later, police were called out to a Piggly Wiggly store near 80th Street and 22nd Avenue for a retail theft complaint.

There, they found 33-year-old Matthew Thrasher and a 30-year-old Stephanie Underwood, who allegedly took vodka and energy drinks from the store -- leaving without paying. Store security officers detained the two before police arrived. Thrasher and Underwood explained to police they were from Alabama. They said their car had broken down at 89th Street and 22nd Avenue.

Police say authorities in Cullman County were contacted, the car was towed, and Thrasher and Underwood were arrested for retail theft.

Thrasher and Underwood were taken to the police department, where they were interviewed. Police determined the missing person, David Hayes had been either severely injured or killed following a beating in Blount County, Alabama. According to a criminal complaint, Thrasher and Underwood told "multiple and contradictory stories" about how they got the car, and whether they knew David Hayes.

A search warrant was obtained for the car Thrasher and Underwood were operating in Kenosha -- and a substance believed to be blood was found in the trunk.

Subsequent interviews led to the arrest of a 32-year-old man in Blount County, Alabama. He's charged with murder. FOX6's sister station, WBRC in Alabama identifies this man as Christopher Jones.

David Hayes' body was discovered in Blount County on January 20th.

"Based on information from Wisconsin, we were given direction to where he may possibly be located in Blount County. We followed those directions and indeed found a body," Blount County Sheriff Loyd Arrington said.

Meanwhile, Thrasher and Underwood -- arrested for retail theft in Kenosha have a warrant out of Alabama for first degree theft of property in the case involving David Hayes' death.

"This is an example of great police work by all officers involved -- from Officer Matthew Hagen realizing the vehicle he was dealing with on a parking complaint was involved with two suspects in a retail theft and in making the connection to a homicide in Alabama -- to the interviews conducted by the detectives in obtaining information that assisted in locating the suspect in Alabama and the body of the victim," Kenosha Police Chief John Morrissey said in a statement.

Thrasher and Underwood are set to appear in court in Kenosha County on January 22nd in connection with the retail theft and obstructing an officer charges they each face in Wisconsin.

They will also be extradited to Alabama due to the warrant out of that state.

CLICK HERE for more on this story via WBRC.