An active duty Marine was recently arrested after Google searches led Florida investigators to suspect he murdered a reality TV star before dumping her body in a pond in Alabama.
Willie Ellington, 20, stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder and possession of child pornography, according to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office.
Tshey Ronaie Bennett, 26, last seen meeting Ellington at the Sweet Dream Inn, was reported missing Saturday, according to authorities.
Law enforcement identified Bennett as an “escort,” without specifying the nature of their encounter.
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U.S. Marine Willie Ellington faces charges of first-degree murder and possession of child pornography. (Lee County, Alabama Sheriff's Office)
Bennett had appeared on the first season of HollyHoodTV's “Skrippa Bootcamp,” which aired earlier this year, according to his Facebook bio.
The program focused on a dozen “aspiring and elite dancers” living together while honing their craft, according to the show's website.
Due to the “suspicious circumstances” surrounding her disappearance, investigators treated the case as a potential homicide, authorities said.
Tshey Ronaie Bennett was reported missing on Saturday, with her body found on Wednesday. (Escambia County Sheriff's Office)
Bennett's car and phone remained at the inn, but linens were missing, according to a Military.com report.
Her body was discovered Wednesday in a pond in an abandoned neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama, according to the sheriff's office.
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The report said Ellington attempted to leave town on a bus and searched Google for questions like: “Can you scream when you're being choked? What's the solve rate for prostitute homicides…and 'What does a body look like after two days?'
The sheriff's office has yet to publicly comment on Bennett's cause of death, as of Thursday afternoon.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. (U.S. Navy)
The district medical examiner's office had not yet determined Bennett's cause of death as of Friday afternoon.
A friend of Bennett's, Muranda Newson, posted a message on Facebook, noting that Bennett was a mother.
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“I hate having to write this,” Newson partially expressed. “I hate that this beautiful boy is suffering. I really hate that someone did that, you didn’t deserve it at all.”
Fox News Digital contacted HollyHood TV on Friday for comment.
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This case raises important questions about the safety and supervision of military personnel, as well as the risks that people working in risky environments may face. Society must address the broader implications of such incidents within the armed forces and the psychological support available to service members.
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