Man Seeks Online Female Friend's Help To Dispose Of Girlfriend's Body, Gets Arrested

A North Carolina man has been arrested after police found the body of his 19-year-old girlfriend inside a large storage tote in the car he was driving.

Michael Cadogan, 24, of Whiteville, was arrested Monday and charged with the abuse of a corpse, reported WCYB.

Kingsport police were contacted by a woman, who informed them that Cadogan had sought her help to dispose of a body, court documents indicated. The woman, whose identity has been withheld, had met Cadogan five years ago on social media, and had been in touch with him ever since.

She said Cadogan had first contacted her around 5:30 a.m. Monday. After a brief chat, the woman and Cadogan moved their conversation to FaceTime.

Cadogan told the woman he had strangled his girlfriend Gianna Rose Delgado during an argument over another man and wanted her help in disposing of the body. The woman then saw the victim's body lying on the floor inside his residence, Johnson City Press said in a report.

According to the arrest warrant, Cadogan confessed again to killing his girlfriend on a second phone call. He said he had purchased a large tub, in which he had placed Delgado's body. He then loaded the tub into a white Dodge Caliber owned by Delgado and wanted to dispose of both the car and the body.

The woman immediately alerted the police. As per the latter's instructions, they had another conversation, with the police on the line.

During the call, the two agreed to meet at a marina on Watauga Lake in Carter County. As agreed upon, Cadogan arrived at the location to meet her.

The officers who were waiting for him spotted his car and pulled it over. However, Cadogan asked for a lawyer and denied permission for the vehicle to be searched.

Officers then towed the car to a storage facility and waited for the execution of a search warrant. Once a warrant was obtained, the tote inside the car was opened and a woman's body was found inside.

Cadogan was immediately placed on arrest and is now being held in the Carter County Detention Center without bond. He is scheduled to be produced before the Carter County Sessions Court Wednesday morning.

Reports said Delgado was a High Point University student. A statement released by the school said Delgado had died at an off-campus apartment due to "possible domestic violence." The statement also mentioned that Cadogan was not a student at the school.