Southfield, MI – Jalen Pendergrass and his mother,โค Charla Pendergrass, have been charged in connection with the death of 19-year-old London Thomas, whose body was discovered in Southfield on Aprilโ 26. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the charges Friday, alleging both individuals where involved inโค the homicide.
Thomas was lastโ seen at a home in Inkster on aprilโ 5. According to the Prosecutor’sโ Office, a friend of Charla Pendergrass contacted police with information leading toโฃ the โขcharges. The friend alleged that Charlaโ Pendergrass askedโฃ for help transporting โฃa sealed plastic binโฃ with unknown contents on April 6.Theโ bin was moved to a home โon Millard โStreetโฃ in Southfield and placed inโฃ an SUV on april 11. Weeks โlater, Thomas’โ body โwasโค found inside that same bin, located in the SUV at the Southfieldโ residence.
An autopsy resolute Thomas died from asphyxia.
Charla Pendergrass, โค48,โค was initially arrested and charged โคwith lying to a peaceโ officerโ afterโ allegedly telling an investigator she saw Thomas leave โคthe Inkster home on April 5 – a claim authorities say was false, supported by phone records andโข video evidence.โฃ However, thatโ charge was dropped during her preliminary examination because the person she allegedly lied to was a federal agent, and โMichigan statute does not define a federal agent as a “peaceโค officer.”
“I am proud of โthe excellent work that has beenโฃ doneโฃ in thisโ case. It has taken countless hours of examination, and diligent workโ by the Michigan State Police, the Detroit Police Department, and the FBI. โAs โฃa result of that work, we have been able toโ charge and โbring the perpetrators of this cruel andโค deadly crime to โjustice,” Worthy said in โa press โrelease.
The โsuspects are expected to be arraigned Friday morning.
