A man has been arrested in the death of a Montana woman after authorities say they discovered her body inside a freezer in the basement of an apartment complex.
A coroner’s investigation led by the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office identified the woman as 36 years old. Cerenity Marie Shawlwho lived in the Cut Bank area, according to a Tuesday, Feb. 10 news release shared by the Sheriff Tom Seifert.
Shawl’s body was found in a Cut Bank apartment building on Saturday, Feb. 7, according to the Cut Bank Sheriff’s Office and the Cut Bank Police Department.
He was fatally shot in the head, the sheriff’s office said.
The day after his body was discovered, Cut Bank police urged the public to be on the lookout for a “armed and dangerous“homicide suspect, Alfred Joseph Smith, and a woman believed to be with him inside a 2019 Hyundai Elantra.
Smith’s whereabouts were reported on Monday, Feb. 9, when authorities located him driving in Fort Benton and arrested him, the Cut Bank Police Department said in a news release issued that day.
Smith was arrested “without incident” on a charge of deliberate homicideaccording to the police. He was held on $1 million bail.
“This arrest would not have happened so quickly without the public’s help,” said Cut Bank Police Chief Michael Schultz he said in a statement.
Sheriff Seifert confirmed this Us Weekly by phone on Friday, Feb. 13, that Smith’s arrest is directly related to Shawl’s murder.
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It was not immediately clear whether Smith had retained an attorney or entered a plea.
Smith made his initial court appearance on Feb. 11, according to records reviewed by we.
When authorities arrested Smith on Feb. 9, they found that, too Natasha Siliezarthe woman who was initially believed to be with him, according to police
Siliezar was “detained for questioning,” police said. It is unclear if Siliezar is also considered a suspect in Shawl’s death.
In the news release about the identification of Shawl’s body, Seifert said “the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences” to his family and friends “during this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Shawl’s funeral expenses.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Cerenity Marie Shawl,” Shawl’s family members wrote on the page. “She it meant a lot to our family and to all those who had the privilege of knowing her”.
Shawl was described as “a beautiful soul who would light up a room when she walked in,” as well as “a loving niece, best friend, cousin, mother.”
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“This loss was unexpected and our family is now dealing with the emotional pain of saying goodbye along with the financial burden of funeral and memorial expenses,” the GoFundMe page says.
Authorities have not specified a potential motive for Shawl’s murder.
The criminal investigation into her death was led by the Cut Bank Police Department and the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation.
Cut Bank is about a 195 mile drive northwest of Helena.