Missing woman murdered in Midtown apartment; suspect at large, police say
ATLANTA - Almost three months after Allahnia Lenoir went missing, Atlanta investigators now believe the 24-year-old was murdered, and her body disposed of.
In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, members of the Atlanta Police Department announced new details regarding Lenoir's disappearance. Officers say the missing person's case is now a homicide.
"At this point we have developed enough evidence to suggest that Allahnia was murdered and her body was disposed of," said Atlanta Police Major Peter Malecki.
Lenoir seen going to an apartment complex at 1660 Peachtree Street on July 31 with a female friend.
"Within the first 24 hours of this case, our missing person’s unit was able to utilize technology and video information to discover the last known location for Allahnia," said Major Malecki.
Family members told FOX 5 that the two women met up with two men at the apartment. Lenoir never returned home.
"She did not at any point leave 1660 Peachtree Street on her own accord," said Atlanta Police Major Peter Malecki.
On Tuesday, Atlanta police say their investigation over the last two months has revealed Lenoir was killed inside the apartment, and her body was later moved.
Major Malecki says through the use of certain technologies, investigators identified two suspects in the case: 29-year-old Diante Reynolds and 29-year-old Steven Oboite. These are the men Lenoir and her friend went to see.
Reynolds is currently being held in Fulton County Jail on unrelated charges.
Officers say Oboite is on the run, and possibly in the metro Atlanta area.
"At this point, we do believe he may still be in the metro area, and certainly anytime we advertise an individual’s face and let them know they’re wanted, we know that it increases the likelihood of that person trying to flee. We also know we are stronger when we work together with the community," said Major Malecki.
Atlanta police are charging both men with felony murder and concealment of a death.
Despite extreme efforts including searches with K-9s, detectives, and entire police recruit classes, investigators have not yet found her body.
"This still is a very open and active investigation. Our ultimate goal is to locate the body of Allahnia and provide closure for this grieving family," said Major Malecki.
Atlanta police name new suspects in case of missing Allahnia Lenoir
Atlanta police held a press conference Tuesday afternoon giving new details in the case of missing 24-year-old Allahnia Lenoir. Police now believe the two men Lenoir was last seen with are suspects in her disappearance. Police are seeking public help in locating one of the men.
A statement on behalf of Allahnia’s family says the family is devastated by this news but are asking for the general public to continue sharing tips and information that lead to the arrest of the second man charged in the case.
Her mother says, "We knew that this was going to be a race against time, but until her body is recovered – we remain hopeful."
If you have any information regarding the case or Oboite's location, officers ask that you contact the department at 404-546-2472.