Authorities continue to search for suspect
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on July 29, 2016 1:46 PM
There are no updates in the case involving a 75-year-old woman being found dead inside a freezer during Memorial Day weekend.
The body of Arma Ann Roush was found inside a freezer at 1723 B Holly St. that an unidentified woman bought at a yard sale several weeks before Memorial Day.
Warrants have been secured for the daughter of the dead woman -- 56-year-old Marcella Jean Lee -- for felony failure to report a death.
Ms. Lee has not been located by authorities almost two months after the incident occurred.
"There's no word on the daughter's whereabouts," said Maj. Anthony Carmon with the Goldsboro Police Department. "(We) haven't located her yet. We're still looking."
Carmon said the Goldsboro Police Department is the only law enforcement agency actively working to find Ms. Lee, but she could still be apprehended by other agencies.
Ms. Lee has been entered into the National Crime Information Center, which shows that she has a warrant out for her arrest.
"If she is located and contacted by law enforcement, then they should notify us because she is in the national system," Carmon said.
Carmon said authorities do not yet know who concealed the body inside the freezer or why Ms. Roush's body was put inside the freezer.
An autopsy performed on Ms. Roush by the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office did not show any signs of foul play that would have caused her death.
Ms. Lee is expected to be charged with additional crimes when she is apprehended.
Ms. Roush lived at 1721 B Holly St. with Ms. Lee, and was last seen alive in August 2015.
The buyer of the freezer reported finding the dead body on Friday, May 27, after purchasing it at a yard sale approximately three weeks prior.
Investigators were called to the scene just after 8:15 that night after the woman opened the freezer for the first time since buying it.
Anyone with information about this crime, or any other crime in Wayne County is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255 or text at 919-222-4230. Callers will remain anonymous and if your information leads to a felony arrest you will be given a cash reward for the information. Crime Stoppers gives cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to felony arrests. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, funded solely by private donations. To make a donation, contact the Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers Director Rick Sutton at 919-734-8177.