Husband of Wichita woman whose body was in dumpster arrested in Iowa

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Donnell Stafford (left) and Leuh Moore Donnell Stafford (left) and Leuh Moore
The body of 38-year-old Leuh Moore was found in a dumpster behind a liquor store at 1701 S Seneca on April 8, 2018 The body of 38-year-old Leuh Moore was found in a dumpster behind a liquor store at 1701 S Seneca on April 8, 2018
Police investigating where homicide occurred in the 1100 block of West Dayton Police investigating where homicide occurred in the 1100 block of West Dayton
WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -

Police say the husband of a 37-year-old woman whose body was found in a Wichita dumpster has been arrested in Iowa. 

Lt. Todd Ojile said the suspect, identified through booking records as Donnell Stafford, was arrested at around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday in Davenport. An Iowa state trooper found the victim's stolen vehicle in a hotel parking lot and the 30-year-old suspect was located inside the hotel and taken into custody without incident. 

"Investigators were able to piece together the events and we issued a felony pickup for her 30-year-old husband," Ojile said, adding that the case would be presented to the district attorney's office on Tuesday.

The website for the Scott County Sheriff's Office in Iowa states Stafford was booked just after noon for a felony interstate detainer. 

Ojile said Leuh Moore was killed early Sunday morning at her home in the 1100 block of West Dayton and her body was then put in the dumpster less than a mile away. Police say she suffered blunt force trauma. 

"There is a history of domestic violence," Ojile said. "We don't know what led to the homicide."

Investigators believe the couple's 7-year-old son was home at the time of the crime. But at some point, the husband took the boy to a relative's house, where he was found safe on Monday.

Two dogs were still at the home on Dayton. They had been stabbed and were taken to an emergency vet for treatment. 

Ojile said local authorities will be traveling to Davenport on Tuesday or Wednesday to pick up the suspect.

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Wichita police are investigating the death of a 37-year-old woman whose body was found in a dumpster as a homicide. 

Family members identified the woman as 38-year-old Leuh Moore. Police say a homeless person found the body at around 6 p.m. Sunday in the dumpster behind The Cave liquor store in the 1700 block of South Seneca. The customer told an employee who then called 911. 

Officer Charley Davidson said Moore suffered blunt force trauma and that the crime appears to have happened at a home in the 1100 block of West Dayton. That's less than a mile from the liquor store. 

Moore's family describes her as a loving and caring mother, and they can’t believe she would be killed and tossed into this dumpster behind a Wichita liquor store. 

"She never held a grudge. She'd give you the last dime in her pocket,” Moore’s brother, Leland Jackson, said.

“She loved life,” Moore’s sister, Chris Hoover, said.

Family members say Moore was a victim of domestic violence in the past.

"Even her 7-year-old son said he beat her daily and there was nothing he could do about it,” Jackson said.

Investigators were conducting interviews and processing the scene Monday afternoon. They believe Moore's body was in the dumpster for less than 24 hours before her body was found. 

"If it wasn't for them, we would have never known she was there," Hoover said. "If they weren't dumpster diving, she would be in the dump."

Police have also not said if they have any suspects, but her family thinks they know who did it.

"He shouldn't be on this earth anymore. He's caused too much havoc, not only for this family but for other families,” Jackson said.

Moore’s brother also says her SUV has gone missing. He thinks if police find the 1996 gold and green Jeep Grand Cherokee it could lead to more clues.

Moore's death is the city's 12th homicide of the year. No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information is asked to call WPD detectives at (316) 268-4407 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111.

2018 homicides in Wichita:

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