April 16, 2009

HOMICIDE
The Midland Police Department is investigating the Homicide of a 21-year-old female. 

At approximately 8:30 p.m. on April 15, 2009, the MPD was notified of a possible Homicide.  Family members of the victim, Sheeva Sharda Miller, notified police after receiving text messages from the suspect stating he killed Miller.  The text messages contained information that directed police to the U-Stor, 315 N. Midland Drive.  Following the initial investigation and execution of a search warrant for a storage unit, the body of Miller was discovered at approximately 4:30 a.m. on April 16, 2009. 

Inside the storage unit, investigators discovered a gold four-door Cadillac owned by the suspect, 39-year-old Deondre Smith (5-31-69).  Inside the trunk of the vehicle was the body of Miller.  She appeared to have been strangled.  An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death. 

Miller was last seen in on April 7, 2009, in Odessa with friends.  She was from Odessa and Smith had recently relocated to Midland from Odessa. 

An arrest warrant for Smith has been obtained for the charge of Homicide.  It is unknown if he is in the area at this time.  Anyone with information about Smith is asked to contact the Midland Police Department at 685.7108 or Crimestoppers at 694.TIPS.  He is considered to be armed and dangerous. 

FATALITY
A man involved in a pedestrian accident last week has died as a result of his injures.  47-year-old Joel Zornes was injured on April 6, 2009, at approximately 11:30 p.m. in the 500 block of W. Front St.  He had been hospitalized since the accident.

Zornes stepped into traffic and was struck by a Lincoln 4-door sedan.  He failed to yield the right of way to the oncoming vehicle and was not in a crosswalk.  The driver of the vehicle was not injured. 

Zornes died on April 15.  This is the fifth fatality in the city for 2009.

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