Arrest Made After Miami Firefighters Found Burned Body Near Railroad Tracks
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - An arrest has been made after a burned body was found near railroad tracks in Miami-Dade last weekend.
On Sunday, Miami Fire Rescue responding to a fire next to tracks at NE 73 Street and 26 Avenue discovered the body.
Miami police said their investigation uncovered that a U-Haul truck back up to the area and a man got out and walked to the back of the truck.
That man was later identified as 57-year-old Allen Thomas.
A fire was then observed at the rear of the truck as it drove off.
The U-Haul was later recovered and Thomas was taken into custody outside his apartment.
According to his arrest report, a search of his residence found several knives, cleaning supplies, and signs of blood consistent with a struggle.
Police said a witness told them that Allen told him that the victim, identified as a white female, was dead on July 23rd. The witness reportedly told police that Allen cleaned his room with bleach and then dragged the woman's body into the U-Haul early Sunday morning. He also reportedly took with him a can of lighter fluid.
Police said items used to drag the woman into the truck were found in the trash in the rear of the apartment.
The medical examiner ruled the woman's cause of death was trauma to her neck and ruled the death a homicide.
Thomas has been charged with second-degree murder.
Due to the severe burns, the woman has yet to be identified.
