true crime

Beloved dad David was found murdered by the highway. His girlfriend Tammy hasn't been seen since.

Warning: This post contains details of a graphic murder that could be upsetting for some readers.

Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries returned this week, gripping us with some of the most curious crimes from the US.

The show’s third episode, Body in Bags, tells of the devastating murder of Michigan father David Carter, who was found dead in 2018.

In the years since, the police have had a warrant out for their prime suspect, David’s partner at the time of his death, Tammy Williams.

But four years later, Tammy is still nowhere to be found. 

Listen to Mamamia's true crime podcast, True Crime Conversations. Post continues after.

What happened to David Carter?

David Carter was a 39-year-old man from Melvindale, Michigan, who worked at the Magna Seating Plant and volunteered with the Melvindale Junior Football League.

He had a teenage son, DJ, whom he shared with his ex, Samia Conner. He was also close with his sister, Tasia Carter-Jackson, and his dad, Elton.

He was last seen attending his son’s football game on September 28, 2018. While he arrived with Tammy, it seems they did not sit together during the game. David's sister has stated she believes her brother broke things off with Tammy due to what she called her "possessive behaviour".

Two days later, DJ and his mother both received a text message from David, cancelling a planned visit because he was ill. DJ decided to visit his father instead, and when he arrived at David's apartment, he saw Tammy taking the rubbish out.

He alleges that when she saw him; she ran inside and locked the door. While she did eventually let him in, she said David was 'out for a walk', despite being sick.

ADVERTISEMENT

Over the next few days, David failed to turn up to work, leading his colleague to call Tasia to ask her to check on her brother. 

She went to the apartment with her husband, and after finding the door unlocked, she called for Elton and Samia to come and help them. They found bloodstains and what looked like a bullet hole, and immediately reported him as missing.

Meanwhile, Tammy was already raising suspicions, claiming she hadn’t seen David in days.

How was David found?

David's father, Elton, was called by police the day after they filed the missing persons report. They shared that a mowing crew working along Ohio’s I-75 highway had found a "weird looking sleeping bag" that contained the severed lower torso of an adult male. It had an identifying tattoo - a pit bull - which Elton could confirm David also had.

In the following days, David's dismembered head was found elsewhere along the same highway, as well as his upper torso. By finding the extra body parts, experts could discern that he had died from a gunshot wound to the head.

David with his son, DJ. Image: Netflix.

ADVERTISEMENT

Where was Tammy Williams?

Once David's lower torso was found, Tammy was brought in for questioning. However, there wasn’t enough evidence to charge her, so the police had to let her go after three days. She remained a person of interest, and as more of David's body was found, she seemed to go on the run. 

Investigators believe she made several large withdrawals of money, and then left Michigan for Chicago, followed by New York, all via train. She was last seen leaving the Neptune Hotel in New York City on October 18, 2018.

Her whereabouts are currently unknown, and since they found no murder weapon, it’s reasonable to believe she might still be armed.

Four years on, police are still hoping to capture Tammy, with the reward for information leading to her whereabouts now sitting at $10,000.

She reportedly changes her hair a lot, making her difficult to identify. However, police and David's family are yet to lose hope.

"We are going to find you. We have been investigating this case for three years and we've had very little cooperation," Deputy US Marshal Aaron Garcia said in 2021.

"People know where she's at, they know her location, and they know how to get in touch with her. They haven't come forward yet."

You can watch Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix.

Feature Image: Netflix.