CONTENT WARNING: Details in this story might be disturbing to readers.
DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Police released more details regarding the two suspects accused of involvement in the homicide of Norma Crutchfield.
A sworn affidavit said police started investigating Crutchfield's disappearance in November 2020. Crutchfield's mother reported she had not seen her daughter for three weeks and advised it was normal for her to visit every week.
The mother advised Crutchfield had been living with Troy D. Slaw, 45, at a home in the 1100 block of E. Olive St. She last saw Crutchfield after dropping her off at the East Olive Street address.
Police said the mother told them Slaw had battered Crutchfield and Crutchfield had been staying with her since. The mother added Crutchfield had two black eyes that took weeks to heal. She said she feared Slaw had beaten her daughter to death.
Police continued investigating and said they learned in December 2020 that a Chase Freeman, 23, had information about Crutchfield's disappearance. Freeman spoke with authorities and said he went to Slaw's house sometime in November 2020. According to police, Slaw opened a closet door and showed Freeman a dead woman inside.
The affidavit said Slaw told Freeman he stabbed the woman in the chest and killed her. Freeman told police it appeared the woman had been there for days. He identified the woman as Norma Crutchfield when officers showed him a picture of her.
Freeman said Slaw had lined the bathroom with shower curtains, window curtains and plastic. He said a Sawzall tool was on the table and black contractor bags were everywhere. Slaw asked Freeman to help dispose of the body, police said, and Freeman initially denied to authorities that he helped Slaw with that task before later admitting to assisting.
Police said Freeman helped move Crutchfield's body to the bathroom the day he was shown it, then refused to take part in dismembering it and left. He then came back the following day and stood guard on the front porch for Slaw, the affidavit said.
Police obtained a search warrant for the East Olive Street address and served it on Dec. 12, 2020. They said investigators found blood-like substances in the home and tested them for DNA analysis. They said the blood was a match for Crutchfield.
Police said Crutchfield's body has not yet been found.
Slaw appeared in court Wednesday. He faces preliminary charges of first degree murder, dismembering a human body and concealment of a homicidal death in the Crutchfield case. His bond was set at $5 million and he will next appear in court on May 25.
Freeman, who was arrested Tuesday, faces charges of dismembering a human body and concealment of a homicidal death in Macon County. His bond is set at $1 million.
At the time of his arrest on the charges related to Crutchfield, Slaw was already in Macon County custody on March charges of aggravated domestic battery and unlawful restraint, He was accused of battering a different woman, who police said was a girlfriend of eight months at the time, and calling her his hostage. The victim claimed Slaw did not allow her to shower or eat.
The battery victim said Slaw pulled her hair out, hit her kneecaps with a metal pipe and tried to strangle her.
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