Daughter Accused Of Strangling, Dismembering Mom; Disposed Of Body Parts In Dumpsters

Authorities in Olympia, Washington, say a woman killed her mother, dismembered the body, and then disposed of the remains in garbage dumpsters. The suspect has allegedly confessed to the crime, reportedly claiming that she had “grown tired” of her mother.

Amara Lundy, 23, was reportedly arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of her mother, Susan Lundy, 58.

Police said friends reported Susan Lundy missing on July 6, after having not had contact with her for more than a month. Authorities theorize she may have been killed in May or June.

Investigators reportedly searched a home shared by mother and daughter. During that search, officers allegedly detected a strong bleach smell in the basement. Susan’s ID and credit cards were found in the trash at a shopping center, police said.

Based on the circumstances of the case, authorities reportedly focused on Amara as the main suspect in her mother's slaying.

According to a probable cause affidavit cited by The Olympian, Amara, who reportedly has no prior criminal record, confessed to strangling her mother with an electrical cord and storing the body in the basement. Roughly a week later, Amara dismembered the body using a saw and kitchen knife, police said.

The affidavit also reportedly states that Amara “obtained a shopping cart from [a] local grocery store … using that to go to several dumpsters and private refuse containers around Olympia to dispose of her mother's body.”

Authorities said Amara told them that “she had grown tired of her mother and decided that if her mother was dead, things would be better for several people.”

The police report further alleges, “Her mother begged for her to stop but (she) felt at that point her only option was to finish strangling her, and (she) continued to do so until her mother stopped thrashing.”

After the slaying, Amara went to "great lengths" to make it appear Susan had left town, police said. She allegedly destroyed her mother’s cell phone and disposed of her mom's ID in a garbage can.

Seattle's KING-TV reported that friends remember Susan as a kind-hearted and generous woman who worked as a doula and coordinated food bank donations.

Appearing in court on Tuesday, Amara was ordered held without bail. She is scheduled to appear in court again on August 27, at which time she will enter a plea.

Read more: The Olympian, WFTV, KING-TV, People, KIRO-TV