A desperate search by family and friends for a missing loved one ended in tragedy on May 16 when the body of 23-year-old Karen Hollis was discovered in a remote area of Greene County.
Hollis, who lived in Northport, was last seen around midnight on May 8, according to information released by the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Investigators with the Violent Crimes Unit and the Northport Police Department began investigating the disappearance, executing multiple search warrants and collecting physical, witness, and electronic evidence throughout the case. Authorities said information recovered from an electronic device later helped lead Hollis’ family and friends to the location where her remains were discovered.
Following the discovery, authorities reported they took 44-year-old Randall Lendell Dejourney into custody. Investigators previously identified Dejourney as the last person known to have seen Hollis before her disappearance.
He was charged with abuse of a corpse and booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $15,000 bond. Authorities said additional charges could follow pending the results of an autopsy being conducted by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
According to a statement released by the Violent Crimes Unit, the investigation into Hollis’ disappearance became a priority for both agencies involved in the case. Capt. Jack Kennedy said investigators gathered a “great deal of physical, witness, and electronic information” while working to determine what happened to the missing woman.
Prior to the discovery of her remains, ALEA issued a missing and endangered alert for Hollis. Authorities said she was last seen near 43rd Avenue in Northport and may have been living with a condition that impaired her judgment. ALEA described Hollis as a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes, standing 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 106 pounds.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
