Body found in Arkansas apartment once rented by missing woman, jailed son

Fort Smith police have recovered a body from an apartment once rented by a missing woman and her son, an officer said Monday.

Police have not been able to locate Angela Shores since she was reported missing last week, Lt. Wes Milam said Monday.

Shores and her son, 19-year-old Lewis Shores, had lived in the apartment but were evicted and ordered to vacate by Aug. 14.

Authorities had not identified the body found inside the apartment as of Monday afternoon. They were unable to determine the sex of the body because of its condition, Milam said.

"The body had been there quite a while," Milam said.

An investigation into a double homicide last week in Fort Smith led detectives to the apartment, according to a news release from the Police Department.

Lewis Shores has been in custody at the Sebastian County jail since early Thursday morning on theft and burglary charges that authorities said linked him to the Sept. 4 deaths of Jimmy Grubb, 81, and Norma Grubb, 79.

The 19-year-old has not been charged in the deaths of the couple, but physical evidence at the scene of the homicides was also linked to Shores, according to an affidavit.

Police arrested Shores last week after a manhunt in Booneville that involved about 30 officers from several state and local law enforcement agencies.

Authorities said they saw Shores run from the scene of a three-car accident with a red suitcase in tow. Police said Shores had been driving a pickup that belonged to Jimmy Grubbs, and authorities later found Grubbs and his wife dead in their home.

Officers received a report of a break-in at Shores' former apartment off Arkansas 271 South early last week, Milam said Monday.

After the traffic accident and the discovery of the couple's bodies last week, officers searched Shores' former apartment Wednesday for evidence related to the homicides but discovered a hoarding situation, Milam said. Police did not see a body, said Milam, who noted the "cluttered condition of the apartment."

Fort Smith firefighters were called later about a fire at the apartment, a Fire Department official said Monday.

The fire marshal told the apartment's maintenance staff Monday about a smell emanating from the apartment, and maintenance workers discovered the body underneath a pile of items, according to the news release.

Police have not charged anyone in connection with the body discovered in the apartment Monday.

Metro on 09/11/2018

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