A recent arrest was made after a Google search led investigators in Florida to suspect an active-duty Marine suspected of killing a reality TV star and dumping her body in an Alabama pond.
Willie Ellington, 20, who was stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder and possession of child pornography, according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.
Tsei Ronaie Bennett, 26, who was last seen meeting Ellington at the Sweet Dream Inn, was reported missing Saturday, according to the sheriff's office.
Authorities identified Bennett as a “bodyguard” but did not elaborate on the purpose of the meeting.
Coroner says subway maniac had drugs in his body during strangulation trial of Marine veterinarian
U.S. Marine Willie Ellington is charged with first-degree murder and possession of child pornography. (Lee County, Alabama Sheriff's Office)
According to her Facebook bio, Bennett appeared in the first season of HollyHoodTV's series “Skrippa Bootcamp,” which premiered earlier this year.
The show centered around a dozen “aspiring elite dancers” living together and striving to perfect their craft, according to the show's website.
Authorities said there were “suspicious circumstances” surrounding her disappearance, leading investigators to treat the case as a possible homicide.
Tsei Ronai Bennett was reported missing on Saturday and her body was found on Wednesday. (Escambia County Sheriff's Office)
Officials said Bennett's car and phone remained at the inn, but her bedding was missing. report From Military.com.
Her body was found Wednesday in a pond in an abandoned area of Mobile, Alabama, the sheriff's office said.
Camp Lejeune Marine taken into custody after body found
According to the report, Ellington tried to get out of town on a bus and said on his cell phone, “'Who screams when they get strangled?' How are prostitute murder statistics solved?'' He said he searched Google for questions such as “…” and “How are corpses disposed of?” Please see within 2 days? ”
The sheriff's office had not publicly commented on Bennett's cause of death as of Thursday afternoon.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. (US Navy)
The First District Medical Examiner's Office had not released Bennett's cause of death as of Friday afternoon.
One of Bennett's friends, Mulanda Newson, posted on Facebook noting that Bennett was her mother.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I hate that I'm typing this,” Newson wrote in part. “I hate that that handsome boy is hurting. I really, really hate that someone did this to you, baby, you don't deserve this.”
Fox News Digital reached out to HollyHood TV for comment on Friday.
