Florida Woman Found Dead In Trunk Of Car Shortly After Calling 911 To Report Her Own Abduction

A Florida woman who called 911 dispatch to report her own abduction was found dead in the trunk of her own car, according to Orlando Sentinel. At approximately 12:30 a.m. last Thursday, Jasmine Samuel, 25, of Orlando contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, claiming to have been kidnapped and forced into the trunk of her car by her 62-year-old ex-boyfriend and co-worker David Payne.

Sources say while the pair were on their break from work at Sonoco Consumer Products, an argument ensued, prompting Payne to kidnap his ex-girlfriend. He allegedly forced her to get into the trunk of her own car, which was a 2014 black Nissan Maxima. Once inside, Samuel called police officials and described the location in which she was abducted and an extensive search was underway. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings stated that “Payne knew that the police was nearby. It was just very difficult to locate the precise location of the vehicle. Clearly he was moving at different times, sometimes at a high rate of speed.”

David Payne accused of killing ex-girlfriend Jasmine Samuel. Sam’s Club customer recognized him, called 911. #fox35 pic.twitter.com/GJOzJAM8rl

— Sarah Aslam (@NewsOfSarah) December 20, 2015

However, the mother of two children – ages 4 and 7 – reportedly remained on the line for 15 minutes before saying, “He said he is going to kill me.” Not long after, operators claim to have heard an array of gunshots firing before losing contact with the kidnapped victim, according to the Daily Mail.

At around 2:06 a.m. the same day, Orlando police discovered that Samuel’s vehicle was abandoned at the end of a dirt road near 6th Street and 11th Avenue, and her dead body was discovered in the trunk of her car. A local medical examiner said Samuel was killed after being shot eight times in the trunk. Investigators immediately conducted a manhunt for the victim’s alleged killer, which “included more than two dozen deputies, a K-9 unit, and a helicopter.” During that time, Orlando police officials asked the public not to approach the suspect if he was seen in public because he was considered armed and dangerous.

The search for Samuel’s alleged killer came to an end three days later when police officials received a call Saturday afternoon, claiming that Payne was currently inside of the “café area of Sam’s Club near the intersection of Taft Vineland Road and South Orange Blossom Trail.” When Orlando police arrived at Sam’s Club, they confronted Payne as he was walking out of the store. He was arrested without incident and was taken to the Orange County jail on first-degree murder charges and armed kidnapping.

After the woman was found dead in her trunk and her alleged killer was arrested, a statement was released by Demings, stating, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Jasmine Samuel. And with the help of the people here in Orange County, we should be able to bring some sense of justice to the family.”

The victim’s relatives told reporters that after ending her relationship with Payne, she feared for her life because of his constant threats. Although Samuel lived in fear, her family never thought the she would be murdered in cold blood in the trunk of her own car. Now, her two children will grow up without a mother, and will be living with their biological grandmother.

Payne is no stranger to the law as he has a violent criminal past. In 1972, he was arrested on homicide charges, but further details surrounding the case were not immediately available. Almost two decades later, the Florida man was arrested again but this time he was convicted of kidnapping and was sentenced to almost six years in prison. Sources say the victim was a female, whom he physically assaulted before forcing her to get into the trunk of a car. Witnesses stated that they believe she survived the ordeal because Payne abandoned the car — with the victim still inside — at a hospital.

David Payne made his first court appearance Sunday where an Orange County judge denied bond for the murder of Jasmine Samuel — who was found dead in the trunk of her car — forcing him to stay in jail until his next court date and miss out on the upcoming holidays.

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