Police Arrest Person Of Interest In Young Mother Murder

BALTIMORE (WJZ) - Just days after police found the body of young Baltimore mother, Tonja Chadwick, detectives captured their only known person of interest in the case: her boyfriend.

They arrested Marco Holmes without incident in northeast Baltimore on an unrelated probation violation.

"I was praying he would come forward. That he would give us that much dignity to just come forward," said aunt Latanya Chadwick.

"Were people involved in harboring him? We don't know the answer to that right now. Our focus is getting closer to finding out what exactly happened to Tonjay," said T.J. Smith of Baltimore City Police.

Tonjay's mother told WJZ her daughter endured a violent relationship.

"She called me and said he choked her to where she blacked out," said mother Lakasha Chadwick. "She decided to stay with him. I told her that he can never be at my home again."

Chadwick's mother said that she feels so relieved about Holmes being in custody and that she and her family now feel safer.

Holmes is not facing charges related to his girlfriend's death and disappearance.

Police arrested him on a no-bail warrant after he broke conditions of his release for armed robbery. He served less than two years of a 20-year sentence.

Police will question Holmes about suspicious things they found in his girlfriend's apartment. They believe she was murdered there--her body was then dumped in a park and showed signs of trauma.

"To a beautiful person like her-- I just don't understand," Latanya said.

Chadwick's family now has to raise her four-year-old son and plan her funeral.

A GoFundMe set up for Chadwick shows her bright smile and her 4-year-old son, who will grow up now without her.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 410-396-2100, text a tip to 443-902-4824, or contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

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