Trenton Ivy (Racine County Sheriff’s Office) and Marquisha Williams (St. Louis Police Dept.)
A 31-year-old father of four in Missouri has been arrested after he allegedly admitted to killing his ex-girlfriend and mother of his children who has been missing since last week. Trenton Ivy was taken into custody on Friday and charged with one count of first-degree murder in the slaying of 29-year-old Marquisha Williams, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the St. Louis County Police Department, Ivy, who lives at a residence located in the 7100 block of West Florissant Avenue in St. Louis, was apprehended by authorities in Racine, Wisconsin, which is about 350 miles northeast of the Mound City.
In an affidavit of probable cause, authorities state that Williams was first reported missing by members of her family on Dec. 20. Detectives with the Bureau of Crimes Against Persons subsequently opened an investigation into her whereabouts. It was determined that she was last spotted with Ivy in the northern part of the city near Cook Avenue and Spring Avenue. They were both in Williams’ car, a gray 2020 Jeep Compass.
Family members told police that Williams and Ivy on Dec. 20 dropped off their four children at various day care centers and relatives’ homes before heading to her job, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. However, she reportedly never made it into work that morning.
Law enforcement authorities in Racine on Dec. 22 arrested Ivy on criminal charges unrelated to Williams’ disappearance, police said. He was reportedly charged with one count each of using a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest by an officer, and fleeing from an officer in a vehicle.
At the time he was taken into custody, police say Ivy was driving Williams’ Jeep Compass and was the sole occupant in the vehicle. During a search, police said they located “blood and biological material” inside of Williams’ vehicle along with several personal items belonging to Williams.
“During a post Miranda interview with detectives of the Racine police department, the defendant admitted to killing Williams in St. Louis,” the release states. “The defendant further admitted to having a physical altercation with Williams, which resulted in her death. He then admitted to disposing of her body in an unknown location.”
Ivy is currently being held in Wisconsin without bond as he awaits extradition back to St. Louis to face the aforementioned charges.
Members of Williams’ family told St. Louis NBC affiliate KSDK that they were heartbroken after learning about her tragic death.
“Marquisha (Williams) was very, very sweet, calm and nice. She loved her kids and we all loved being around her,” Sandy Bagley, Williams’ aunt, told the station. “My niece was so excited about Christmas and really looking forward to celebrating the holiday with us and her four children.”
Bagley explained that the couple had separated earlier this year and were working on co-parenting their children. She also noted that Williams had recently “started seeing someone else,” a development that may have angered Ivy.
Williams’ family reportedly said that they will continue to search for her body in an attempt to bring some closure to the situation.
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