Man’s body found in suitcase, roommate charged

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man was found dead, stuffed in a suitcase earlier this month and now his roommate is charged with his murder.

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Police said the body of Bruce Jeffries, 63, was found in a suitcase that had been left behind a dumpster in Memphis on Dec. 12, WHBQ reported.

Police said Jeffries died of blunt force trauma to the head.

A witness told the authorities that he saw a person dragging a suitcase in an alley the morning of Dec. 12. The witness said the man tried to lift the suitcase to throw it in the dumpster but it was too heavy, according to WHBQ.

When the man realized he was being watched, he left the suitcase and ran from the alley.

Police said they followed a blood trail to an apartment where they found keys still in the lock and no sign of forced entry. Once inside, investigators found broken glass, a broken mirror and blood in the apartment’s bedroom.

There was also clothing that had what appeared to be blood on it in a washing machine.

Police also found a smaller version of the suitcase similar to the one that contained Jeffries’ body.

Police said they found clothing and papers that belonged to Julian Summers, 30, Jeffries’ roommate of two years.

Surveillance video showed Summers trying to throw a suitcase away at the apartment’s dumpster but it was too heavy, so police said he dragged it to an alley, leaving it at a dumpster behind a bank, WHBQ reported.

Summers has been charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.

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