A 21-year-old Troy woman whose
decomposing body was found today wrapped and hidden in an attic space of a Hazel Park home died of strangulation, an autopsy showed.
Without releasing further details, Hazel Park Police Chief Martin Barner said Jessica Leigh White was killed with some type of ligature.
Jordan McClanahan, 23, who lived in the house owned by his father, is suspected of strangling White at the residence on April 23, Barner said. McClanahan is in police custody but hasn't yet been formally charged.
For more than a week, friends and family had been searching for White.
"It's disturbing to know that this gentleman was assisting the family in attempting to locate a person that he knew (was dead)," Barner said. "We know they have been friends since grade school."
He declined to speak about the circumstances of how she died, but he said the two didn't appear to be in a relationship beyond friendship.
McClanahan's family members took him to Troy police department Tuesday night after he indicated what had happened. Barner said McClanahan admitted he was responsible for White's death.
Police then searched the home on East Woodward Heights Boulevard and Hazelwood Avenue and
found the body, which was difficult to identify, he said. Police had previously been to the home in recent days for the missing-persons case.
"There's been several times that officers from (the) Troy police department, and my officers as well, have been to the house," Barner said.
He said the family members didn't know about the body, and they've been cooperative with the investigation. Barner described the space where the body was found as a roof-line storage area inside the bungalow.
Police had previously spoken with McClanahan while searching for White, and he'd said he dropped her off at 7 Mile and John R in Detroit. On Tuesday, it became clear that this wasn't true.
Michael McClanahan, 65, Jordan McClanahan's father, earlier Wednesday said his son was being held by police.
White was last seen April 23 in Troy and had texted her mother that she was at a friend's house in Hazel Park. She had said that her friend and his father "were arguing and that it was a little 'awkward,' " according to Crime Stoppers, which offered a $2,500 reward in the case
Michael McClanahan said he had been arguing with his son, who'd dropped the father's phone and broken it. "I chewed him out, and she just happened to be here," the father said.
He said he had no idea the woman's body was in the house.
"It?s as new to us as it is to everybody else," he said when asked about investigation. ?I'm just so sorry for the family. ... It?s just a shock. It was late yesterday when we found out.?
Patricia Tavormina, 51, who lives a couple of doors down, said she got home from work about 1:15 a.m. and saw a crime lab truck outside the house with three or four Hazel Park police vehicles. At about 5 a.m., they removed a body.
?I am in so much disbelief," she said. "I would never have thought something like that would have come from that family."
Tavormina said she'd seen Jordan McClanahan going for a jog down the street Monday. She said the family kept to themselves, but that the father helped out around the neighborhood, clearing snow for people in winter.
Barner said this is Hazel Park's first homicide investigation in six years.
According to the Facebook page Help Find Jessica Leigh White, a search for her was planned last weekend, and flyers have been passed out in hopes of finding her. At 3:52 a.m. today, the following was posted:
"Last Night The law enforcement was called to the residents of the last place Jessica was seen As they where handling their investigation they discovered the Remains of whom is to believed to be Jessica Leigh White. We Would like to thank you all for your prayers and and support. we asked that you continue to pray for Justice to be served. Jessica Did not deserve this nor did her family & Friends whom truly loved her . Thank you all once again God Bless."