LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTVE/KARD) — On January 11, 2023, the Little Rock Police Department was dispatched to a possible burglary at an apartment complex on the 1000 block of Breckenridge Drive in Little Rock, Ark. The caller advised authorities that the apartment was broken into and their friend was found wrapped in a blanket.
Upon arrival, police made contact with 28-year-old Chelsea Mckenzly of Monroe, La. who was standing next to her red Nissan Sentra with all four of the doors open. Authorities also observed that a deceased subject was wrapped in several blankets next to Mckenzly’s car.
Mckenzly advised officers that she was visiting the area from Monroe, La., and found her friend outside in the parking lot. Officers also observed a drag mark coming from the front of an apartment.
Once Homicide Detectives arrived at the scene, they spoke with witnesses and searched for possible surveillance. According to an anonymous citizen, Mckenzly lived in the apartment with her girlfriend.
The citizen advised officers that Mckenzly and her girlfriend were constantly fighting and were in a loud verbal altercation the previous day. According to the citizen, Mckenzly asked them to help her move the deceased body.
Mckenzly was then read her Miranda Rights and chose to give a statement to authorities. According to Mckenzly, she lived in the apartment with her on-and-off ex-girlfriend and she commuted back and forth from Little Rock, Ark. to Monroe, La. to see her children and to attend court proceedings.
Mckenzly initially advised officers that she found the victim’s body wrapped in a blanket in the parking lot when she returned from Monroe, La. Once she returned to the apartment, Mckenzly claimed that the apartment’s door was slightly open and she figured the home was broken into.
Mckenzly went on to change her statement and told detectives that she actually found the body inside the apartment at the front door. She then attempted to transport the body to a local hospital but the victim’s corpse was too heavy, which led Mckenzly to ask the anonymous citizen for help.
According to detectives, Mckenzly eventually admitted to being in a physical altercation with the victim on January 11, 2023, where she allegedly stabbed the victim multiple times. Mckenzly claimed that the victim choked her and approached her with a knife during the altercation. Mckenzly then pushed the victim against a wall and began stabbing the victim.
After the stabbing, Mckenzly wrapped the victim in a blanket and cleaned the area where the incident took place. Once she cleaned the area, Mckenzly claimed she traveled to Monroe, La. with the victim’s body wrapped in a blanket inside the apartment.
Mckenzly did not call authorities instantly after the stabbing and wanted to take the body to the hospital once she returned from Monroe, La. Mckenzly was arrested and transported to the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility.
She was charged with First-Degree Murder, Tampering with Evidence, and Abuse of a Corpse.