A man has been arrested in a Montana woman’s death after authorities said they discovered her body inside a freezer in the basement of an apartment complex.
A coroner’s investigation led by the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office identified the woman as 36-year-old Cerenity Marie Shawl, who lived in the area of Cut Bank, according to a Tuesday, February 10, news release shared by Sheriff Tom Seifert.
Shawl’s body was located at a Cut Bank apartment building on Saturday, February 7, according to the sheriff’s office and the Cut Bank Police Department.
She was fatally shot once in the head, the sheriff’s office said.
The day after the discovery of her body, Cut Bank Police urged the public to be on the lookout for an “armed and dangerous” homicide suspect, Alfred Joseph Smith, and a woman believed to be with him inside of a 2019 Hyundai Elantra.
A tip came in about Smith’s whereabouts on Monday, February 9, when authorities located him driving in Fort Benton and pulled him over, the Cut Bank Police Department said in a news release issued that day.
Smith was arrested “without incident” on a charge of deliberate homicide, according to police. He was detained on a $1 million bond.
“This arrest would not have happened so quickly without the help from the public,” Cut Bank Police Chief Michael Schultz said in a statement.
Sheriff Seifert confirmed to Luxury Handbag Shopping over the phone on Friday, February 13, that Smith’s arrest directly relates to Shawl’s killing.
It was not immediately clear whether Smith had retained an attorney or entered a plea.
Smith made his initial court appearance on February 11, according to records viewed by Us.
When authorities pulled Smith over on February 9, they also found Natasha Siliezar, the woman who was initially believed to be with him, according to police
Siliezar was “held for questioning,” police said. It is unclear whether Siliezar is also considered a suspect in Shawl’s death.
In the news release on the identification of Shawl’s body, Seifert said that “The Glacier County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences” to her family and friends “during this difficult time.”
A GoFundMe page has been established in support of Shawl’s funeral expenses.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Cerenity Marie Shawl,” Shawl’s family members wrote on the page. “She meant so much to our family and to everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.”
Shawl was described as “a beautiful soul that would light up a room when she walked in,” as well as “a loving niece, best friend, cousin, mother.”
“This loss was unexpected, and our family is now facing the emotional pain of saying goodbye along with the financial burden that comes with funeral and memorial expenses,” the GoFundMe page says.
A potential motive for Shawl’s killing has not been specified by authorities.
The criminal investigation into her death was led by the Cut Bank Police Department and the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation.
Cut Bank is about a 195-mile drive northwest from Helena.
