KALAMAZOO, Mich. — On Wednesday, new details in the case of a missing Portage mom of eight were released.
Heather Kelly has been missing since December of 2022 and officials claim her former boyfriend, Carlos Watts Jr. is not only behind her disappearance but also her death.
“At this time, we are announcing that that investigation has led us to bring charges of murder against Carlos Vance Watts Jr. has been charged with open murder,” said Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting.
Affidavit of Probable Cause documents breaks down the evidence that led to officials charging Watts with her murder.
They say around the time of her disappearance, officials found her car on fire, and inside the car was blood that was tested and matched with her DNA.
Officials said they also found evidence that the car was lit on fire to hide evidence, and clothes with her and Watts' DNA were found near the car.
Shortly after the car was found, the documents say Watts admitted to a witness that he “got rid of the b***h," which the witness says was based “on the topic of conversation meant that Carlos killed Heather."
It also says that he got rid of her body in a dumpster.
“We have not recovered Heather Kelly's remains at this time. But we are confident that we have sufficient evidence to prove Mr. Watts guilty of her murder and are moving forward with the charges,” said Getting.
Court documents show the two had a rough relationship and that Watts was described as controlling and possessive.
Prosecutor Getting says Watts has been in federal custody and these new charges allow his team to move forward in hopefully convicting him for Kelley’s death.
“This case, the charges, in this case, are the result of thousands of hours of work by multiple agencies, local state, federal, in the accumulation of all of that evidence has brought us to being able to bring charges,” said Getting
Even though this case is far from over, he says Kelley’s family is happy the investigation has led to charges against Watts.
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