Mom-Son Duo Charged with Homicide of His Teen Girlfriend After Physique Discovered In Bin

Jalen Pendergrass, 23, and his 49-year-old mom, Charla Pendergrass, had been arrested and charged with second-degree homicide and tampering with proof this week, in reference to the dying of Jalen’s 17-year-old girlfriend, London Thomas.

The 2 had been arraigned on Friday morning, the place Jalen was denied bond and Charla’s bond was set at $5 million money.

Per CBS Information Detroit, they each entered not responsible pleas through the listening to; their subsequent courtroom date was set for October 22.

Thomas was final seen alive round 4am on April 5, 2025, after her sister dropped her off on the Pendergrass house in Inkster, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, this in line with each CBS Information and FOX 2 Detroit. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Workplace reportedly claims Thomas and Pendergrass’ relationship had already ended when she went to the home.

Her sister then reported her lacking later that day to the Inkster Police Division, earlier than her mom reported her lacking to Detroit police the following day, April 6.

In some unspecified time in the future within the investigation, Charla allegedly informed investigators she noticed Thomas go away the house, although authorities reportedly mentioned telephone information and video proof disputed her claims.

Police bought a break within the case on April 26, which is when prosecutors say a pal of Charla’s known as Inkster police with a tip, reportedly claiming that on April 7, Charla known as him and requested for assist shifting a “sealed plastic bin with unknown contents.” He allegedly mentioned he left the bin in an SUV in Southfield on April 11.

On the deal with offered by the tipster, authorities then discovered Thomas’ physique contained in the bin. An post-mortem later decided Thomas died from asphyxia, with murder as the style of dying.

In Could, Charla was arrested and charged with mendacity to a peace officer after the physique was found, although that cost was dropped in August as she was talking with a federal agent on the time of her preliminary assertion — and federal brokers aren’t “peace officers” beneath Michigan regulation. Jalen, in the meantime, was reportedly thought of an individual of curiosity in Thomas’ dying, however wasn’t arrested or charged till this week.

After the arrests of the 2 Pendergrass relations, Thomas’ stepfather, Darnell Johnson, spoke with CBS Information.

“I hope it was value it in y’all eyes, as a result of y’all life is over with,” he informed the outlet. “Harming a toddler, taking their life, that is past being a dad or mum, that is simply straight evil.”

“It is all the time been heavy on my thoughts that they had been concerned one way or the other, someway,” he continued. “It simply clarifies what I have been feeling, what everybody has been pondering.”

Telling CBS he additionally bought a tattoo in London’s honor, Johnson added, “It is exhausting to not sit in the home and never consider her on the desk or sofa with out getting emotional as a result of that was our child woman.”