Photo: FBI
An Indiana man accused of killing a young mom whose body was found Monday in a forest was captured Wednesday and charged with murder, the FBI confirms to PEOPLE.
James McGhee, 38, of Gary, was arrested on a warrant Wednesday and charged with the murder of mother of two Sidne-Nichole Buchanan, 27, also of Gary, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office tells PEOPLE.
McGhee allegedlyfatally beat Buchanan at his apartmentafter they attended a Wiz Khalifa and French Montana concert in Tinley Park, Illinois, on July 27,The Timesof Northwest Indiana reports.
He then allegedly dismembered her body and dumped her remains in a forest preserve in Cook County, Illinois, say authorities,The Timesreports.
After Buchanan’s family reported her missing on July 29,authorities said they believe she had been kidnappedand taken against her will, the FBI said, theChicago Sun-Timesreports.
“Our investigation has revealed that Sidne was last seen in Illinois but we have evidence that she was in Indiana after that. The presumption is she was taken across state lines against her will until we find evidence to the contrary,” FBI Supervisory Special Agent Mike Peasley said, theChicago Sun-Timesreports.
On Monday, Buchanan’s body was found in the Thornton-Lansing Road Nature Preserve, the FBI said in a statement.
McGhee allegedly told a friend he “lost it,”The Timesreports.
Buchanan’s cause of death will be determined pending test results, theChicago Sun-Timesreports.
McGhee’s arrest came while he was on probationafter pleading guilty to assaulting his pregnant ex-girlfriend in 2017, court documents show, CBS Chicago reports.
Pregnant with quadruplets, the woman lost three of her four unborn children after McGhee pulled a knife on her and threatened to kill her before kicking her in the face and stomach when she threatened to leave him, court records show, CBS Chicago reports.
McGhee is being held in the Lake County jail. He has not yet entered a plea. It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
He is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. Friday.
“She was an incredible, passionate person, incredible heart,incredible smile, infectious laugh,” her friend, Joe Starnes, told local ABC affiliate WLS “I’m just going to miss her a whole lot.”
source: people.com
