The Fort Worth Police Department has revealed that an Arlington woman was allegedly killed by her estranged boyfriend, who was previously accused of holding her hostage for several days.
Police found 26-year-old Marissa Grimes’ body at the home of 24-year-old Valerian Osteen on February 23 after she had been reported missing seven days earlier, according to FOX 4 News.
Fort Worth Police revealed that they discovered the 26-year-old’s decomposing body wrapped in blankets and a tarp in a crawl space underneath Osteen’s home.
The medical examiner stated Grimes had died from blunt force trauma to the head, and had other injuries including a fractured nose and ribs.
According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office, Osteen had been arrested on January 10 on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint. He was accused of keeping Grimes in his home against her will, allegedly holding her at gunpoint and threatening to kill her.
Osteen was released from jail three days later on a $10,000 bond for the assault charge and another $5,000 bond for the charge of unlawful restraint. His bond terms required him not to have any contact with Grimes and to comply with a GPS leg monitoring system.
After Osteen was released on bond, Grimes rented a Uhaul truck and had planned to leave the area, according to court documents.
However, per Fox 4, neighbors said the truck was parked outside of Osteen’s home for several days.
Fort Worth Officer Daniel Segura told FOX 4 News that the department began looking at Osteen as a person of interest after a neighbor said they saw Grimes with Osteen on February 13, and it appeared she had been crying.
Grimes’ family reported her missing on February 16, telling police they had not heard from her since February 12.
Her Uhaul truck was later found abandoned at a park near Osteen’s home on February 21, five days after she was reported missing.
“When we look at the GPS tracking device and the Uhaul truck location, we notice that his home address was pretty close by. Almost a mile and a half,” Segura told FOX 4 News.
Per the Fort Worth Star Telegram, police obtained a search warrant to enter Osteen’s home on February 22. Upon executing the search, they discovered the entrance to the crawlspace in a bedroom closet, where they said they saw a mound of dirt and smelled decomposition.
Osteen’s GPS ankle monitor lost power on February 23 because he failed to charge it properly, at which point a judge issued a warrant for his arrest, according to the Tarrant County DA’s Office.
On the same day, Fort Worth Police executed a second search warrant at Osteen’s home, during which they entered the crawlspace and found Grimes’ decomposing body.
Police who arrested Osteen said that his leg monitor had been completely cut.
Osteen is now being held in the Tarrant County Jail. Though his bond was set for $500,000, the Tarrant County DA reportedly stated the bond was revoked.
Authorities are still investigating the murder and are asking anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward.
