COLUMBIA - The sons of a woman whose body was found in the trunk of a car are being held by Columbia police as persons of interest, the Columbia Police Department said.
Police found the body of Helen C. Sanders, 53, in the trunk of a car around 8:30 p.m. Thursday night after her 19-year-old son was pulled over and arrested for driving recklessly near Stadium Boulevard and Audubon Drive. Columbia Police Capt. Brad Nelson declined to release either of the names, citing the Missouri Sunshine Law, because neither has been arrested in connection with the body.
There are no other persons of interest, Nelson said.
Nelson said there were no signs of life-threatening injuries on the body but that police were awaiting the results of an autopsy, which the Boone County Medical Examiner was scheduled to perform at 8:30 Friday morning.
The 16-year-old son was detained at the victim's home in the 4500 block of Melrose Drive in southwest Columbia after police served a search warrant. Nelson said they are waiting for a family member from St. Louis to be present to question him.
"Obviously, Mom's dead, and Dad's out of the picture," Nelson said.
Police also served a search warrant to the driver to search for trace evidence, which means traces of blood or other incriminating evidence.