Michigan State Police have confirmed the person found deceased in a trunk of a car in Dearborn, Michigan on Sunday is the missing Murfreesboro, Tennessee woman, Eleni Kassa.
Following the chase and shootout on Sunday, one person in the vehicle died, another was taken to the hospital, and a body was discovered by detectives in the trunk, according to Michigan State Police (MSP).
The 31-year-old mother out of Murfreesboro did not pick up her child from school on Nov. 17. Her family reported her missing the following day, Nov. 18.
Last week, the Murfreesboro Police Department issued a missing person alert for Eleni Kassa. According to a release from MPD, the missing person investigation revealed a possible domestic violence incident occurred with Kassa and her girlfriend, 36-year-old Dominique Hardwick, following an argument at Kassa’s Murfreesboro apartment.
Kassa’s cell phone and car were left at the apartment. The two were believed to be traveling in Hardwick’s black Dodge Charger with Tennessee license plate 7L87V2.
MSP stated Dearborn police received a hit from a Flock License Plate Reader of a vehicle linked to a missing endangered case out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Authorities confirmed the vehicle was a black 2020 Dodge SRT.
During the chase in Michigan, emergency operators can be heard on Broadcastify police recordings saying, “Dearborn PD are chasing a missing person in a vehicle. The vehicle is a Dodge Charger, a Tennessee plate 7L87V2.”
MSP tweeted that Dearborn officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but when officers approached the car the driver took off. After losing sight of the car, the chase was stopped; however, a short time later, officers responded to a crash at a residence involving that same Dodge. MSP reported officers heard a gunshot and officers returned fire.
According to MSP, a 34-year-old woman was injured in the crash and taken to the hospital. The 36-year-old woman, now identified as Hardwick, was found dead at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head. It’s unclear whether a bullet from police or the suspect’s own firearm killed her. A 9mm Glock pistol was recovered from the vehicle.
Kassa’s body was discovered in the trunk of the vehicle. MSP added the victim was found dead with “trauma that was not a result from the crash.”
Earlier on Monday, Kassa’s family told News 2 they were bracing for the autopsy results to confirm if the body discovered was their loved one. They also wanted to thank law enforcement for all their hard work trying to locate Kassa.
Last week, Micky Ghirmay, Kassa’s brother, said he reported his younger sister missing after she didn’t pick up her 6-year-old daughter from school on November 17.
“She’s a wonderful mother, and she is a wonderful sister, and she’s just everybody’s favorite person,” Ghirmay said.
A GoFundMe account, which was originally created to help raise money to find Kassa, will now be used to care for her daughter.
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