An Ohio teen was arrested for allegedly killing his ex-girlfriend after she was found fatally strangled on a high school graduation trip to South Carolina.
Blake William Linkous, 18, was in custody on murder charges after Natalie Martin, also 18, was found dead in her hotel room on Maison Drive in Myrtle Beach on June 7, WMBF reported.
Martin, of Roseville, was in the coastal beach town celebrating her graduation from Philo High School last month, her friend Brooklyn Ferrell told The Sun News.
Linkous was arrested by the Horry County Police Department on Thursday and charged with murder, the outlet said.
Linkous is accused of manually strangling Martin on Tuesday before abandoning her body.
Martin and Likous were classmates at Philo High and dated for a few years before recently breaking up, Ferrell explained to The Sun News.
Photos from both teens’ Facebook profiles show selfies and other smiling photos of them together through the years.
In May 2022, Linkous posted a loving portrait of the pair heading to prom.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Linkous remains in custody without bail.
Martin will be remembered at a vigil on the Phil High School soccer field on June 15, according to social media posts.
At the time of her death, Martin worked as a childcare provider at Sundale Kids, her obituary read.
“Natalie lived her life to the fullest with joy, laughter, and love,” the message said.
“She brought true happiness to all that knew her. She had a free, pure and wild spirit with a contagious laugh, a personality out of this world that could bring anyone out of their darkest of days. Her glowing blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes represented that she was truly an angel here on Earth.”
A GoFundMe for the teen’s family has already doubled its $15,000 goal.
SOURCE: New york post
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