Just two days before N-Kya Rebecca Logan’s brutal murder, the happy 26-year-old was at her baby shower surrounded by loved ones who were helping her celebrate the expected delivery of her child.
But in a vicious and cruel act of evil, her brother cut both Logan and her unborn child’s life short after he stabbed her uterus, killed her and lit her body on fire Tuesday.
On December 13, police responded to a call just after midnight when witnesses said they saw a body in an alley in Fresno, California. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a visibly pregnant woman burned to death.
Detectives told KSSE that a witness reported spotting someone attempting to start a fire after they saw the person hauling a garbage bin to the alley. The witness said they thought the person was burning trash.
But investigators later referred to surveillance footage which revealed a man pushing a garbage bin from the home he shared with the deceased.
“We have several witnesses who saw the fire, but one witness who actually took a picture of a person who we believe is the suspect standing over the body,” Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said at a press conference. “Several surveillance videos show the suspect pushing a trash bin. We believe the victim was inside the trash bin. She was taken to the alley before she was set on fire.”
He continued: “When they arrived they saw a victim who had been set on fire, completely engulfed in fire.”
The suspect has been identified as Aaron Jamal Dudley, 41, who has been charged with two counts of murder.
He was found and arrested while attempting to flee after police filed a warrant for his arrest, according to reports.
It was later discovered that his sister’s unborn son, who she planned to name Noah, would have survived prematurely had Dudley not stabbed her in the uterus multiple times, Fresno County authorities told local media.
Authorities believe Dudley stabbed his sister in their home then threw her in a garbage can, dragged her to an alley and lit her on fire.
She was over eight months pregnant and was set to give birth at any moment.
Fresno County District Attorney Lisa A. Smittcamp said “the killing of a fetus is murder” adding that she is seeking the death penalty for the suspect.
She added that Dudley had previous run-ins with his sister. Last year, police responded to a call after Logan said she was scared he would inflict harm against her.
“The victim did fear for her safety on that call in July,” Balderrama said about the relationship between Dudley and Logan. “So if I were to define it, I’d say not great. But at this point, without getting any further disclosures from the victim’s family or suspect, I can’t say for certain what their relationship was like.”
She added: “As a police chief, I find this horrific. It takes an awful lot of evil, hate and planning to stab your own sister multiple times.”
Detectives have yet to conclude the motive behind Logan’s murder.
