KETTERING — Kettering police continue to investigate the death of a woman who was found in a dumpster behind an apartment complex on Aberdeen Avenue.
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While a motive isn’t clear, Officer Joe Ferrell said the death of 24-year-old’s Sierra Woodfork “was not random.”
Terrel Ross, 37, was arrested on suspicion of murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Formal charges have not been filed at this time, according to Kettering Municipal Court records.
While the relationship between Ross and Woodfork isn’t clear, they did know each other.
“I don’t know if they were friends or more than that,” said Ferrell. “I’m sure more of that will come out later this week.”
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A cause and manner of death have not been determined by the coroner’s office at this time, but Ferrell said “it was certainly a violent crime.”
Police launched a homicide investigation Saturday after Woodfork was found inside a dumpster behind an apartment complex on Aberdeen Avenue.
A man called 911 after they were going through the dumpster and found a body, Ferrell said.
“I'm dumpster diving and there's a body,” the man told dispatchers in a 911 call.
Before Kettering police arrived, the same man flagged down a passing Oakwood cruiser. Oakwood officers placed yellow crime scene tape up and were on scene about 20 minutes while they waited for Kettering police to respond and set up.
Ross was arrested just before 8 p.m. Sunday at the St. Vincent de Paul Gateway Shelter for Men at 1921 S. Gettysburg Ave. in Dayton, jail records show.
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It is not clear if Ross was living at the shelter or if he was attempting to hide there.
“Whether he had been staying with her and had no place to live or whether he was hiding out there, I just don’t know,” Ferrell said.
Woodfork’s death is the first homicide investigation in Kettering this year. In 2019, they had one homicide case, Ferrell said.
“[It’s] not very common, but obviously violent crimes happen anywhere and everywhere,” he said. “It’s just unfortunate that it happened here in Kettering in January. The good thing is there’s a lot of hard work and teamwork by our detective section and they were able to quickly find the suspect and have him in custody.”