Valerie Hamilton, 23, daughter to Concord’s police chief, went missing last Wednesday after leaving a bar with suspect Michael Harvey, 34. Her body turned up at 1 am on Sunday morning and Harvey was arrested the following day in New York.

Harvey panicked and fled to his home state of New York, staying at a friend’s house with a stolen car in tow. At this time, Harvey denies that he had any connection to Hamilton’s death and has stated, “She OD’ed in her sleep. This is not a murder. I did not kill her.”

Although initial medical reports “do not indicate any sign of traditional physical trauma to Hamilton’s body, i.e. gunshot wounds, stab wounds, strangulation, bludgeoning”, Harvey isn’t off the hook quite yet. Instead of seeking help for young Hamilton, he panicked and dumped her body in a mini-storage facility in East Charlotte.

Harvey went through great lengths to cover up her death and tampered with a crime scene. Furthermore, witnesses from Wednesday night said that Harvey refused to get Hamilton help that she desperately needed and ignored calls to seek medical attention.

While the courts await toxicology reports, Harvey continues to stand by his story that both him and Hamilton had done black tar heroin last Wednesday evening and when he woke up, she was dead. Although Harvey believes his story, his actions and lack to come forward in Hamilton’s death outline a dark character. He also has a lengthy criminal record and is a registered offender, growing up with a troubled past.

Image c/o AP Photo/David Duprey