An Indiana woman is accused of killing and dismembering her husband, and enlisting her two teenage children to help dispose of the body.
Thessalonica Allen, 34, is facing multiple charges, including murder, abuse of a corpse and alteration of a death scene, in the slaying of her husband, 50-year-old Randy Allen. She also faces two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
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Police say their investigation started on July 28 after they were contacted by a man from Michigan, who said Allen showed him her husband's body inside her daughter's closet and asked for his help, according to a probable cause affidavit. The man refused and asked Allen to drive him back to Michigan, after which he called police.
Officers later located Allen in the parking lot of an Ace Hardware store. When they approached her vehicle, police said she immediately began to cry and said, "You guys don't understand, he beats me."
During an interview, Allen allegedly confessed that she had shot and killed Randy on July 27 during an argument and that his body was still inside their apartment.
"She then admitted she had to cut Randy's legs off because she wasn't able to fit him inside the tote," police said. "She stated she panicked and did not know what to do after she had shot him. She stated she used an axe to cut his legs off."
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Police went inside the home and found Randy's legless body just as Allen had described. It appeared Allen attempted to cut off his left arm as well, police said. Detectives also found an axe and knife with "residues of red like substance that appear to be blood."
Allen allegedly told police that Randy choked and attacked her, which is why she shot him. But her children provided a different account of what happened that night.
The teenagers told police that Randy was helping them with homework on the computer, when he saw a website that their mom had visited. He confronted her about it, which started an argument.
"The children stated they didn't see any physical altercation that day and only verbal arguing," according to police. "They mentioned that during the argument, they heard Randy say he was getting his things and leaving."
As the couple was arguing in the bedroom, both children heard a loud "bang" and ran over to see Randy had been shot and was pleading for help, according to police.
"They stated that mom told them not to call 911 and to go to their room," police said. "That night they were woken up by mom in the middle of the night asking them to help her drag Randy's body out of the room, and try to load it in his vehicle."
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The kids said they made several attempts, but his body was too heavy. The next day, Allen allegedly came home with cleaning supplies and an axe and asked the children to drag Randy's body back to the bedroom. Later that night, the kids said they were again woken up and asked to help put the body into a tote.
One of the children "stated that he saw Randy's legs were cut off" and "saw his mother had put Randy's legs in a plastic bag," police said. Allen allegedly asked the kids to help her load the tote into the vehicle, but it was still too heavy.
"The children stated that mom had plans to take the vehicle and body to South Bend and set it on fire," according to police.
When investigators searched the apartment, they found a handwritten notes with a to-do list that included things like: "1. Spray s**t in face, hit him in right knee w/hammer, 2. Hit w/hammer/stab him, 3. Roll body up in sheets and plastic bags."
An autopsy revealed that the gunshot entered Randy's spinal cord area, which prevented him from moving as he bled to death.
Family members told the Northwest Indiana Times that the couple had been married for almost a year. Randy had five children, but none in common with Allen.
"He didn't give me any indication that she was crazy," said Jakelia Dooley-Jones, Randy's daughter. "He was a sweet person... I tell you, my dad was the nicest person you will run across."
Allen is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 22, with a trial date scheduled for Aug. 1, 2022.
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