An Oakland County woman and her son are facing charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of the son’s teenage girlfriend whose body was stuffed in a container in Southfield.
Charla Pendergrass, 49, of Clawson and Jalen Pendergrass, 23, of Inkster are accused of killing London Thomas, 17, of Detroit, last April. According to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, London’s mother had reported her missing on April 6 because she didn’t return home after being dropped off the day before at Jalen Pendergrass’s house in Inkster. London had been in a relationship with Jalen Pendergrass, but it allegedly ended at the time she arrived at his house, the prosecutor’s office stated.
The case was initially investigated by the Inkster Police Department; the Detroit Police Department, FBI and Michigan State Police subsequently joined the investigation.
Three weeks after London was dropped off at Jalen Pendergrass’s house, Inkster police received information from a male friend of Charla Pendergrass, alleging she asked him to transport a sealed plastic bin to an SUV on Millard Street on Aug. 11, which he did, the prosecutor’s office stated. The contents were reportedly unknown to him.
Michigan State Police, along with the FBI and the Detroit Police Department, conducted a search at the Millard Street address and found London’s lifeless body in the bin, inside an SUV parked there, the prosecutor’s office stated. The Oakland County Medical Examiner determined she died from asphyxia and ruled it a homicide.
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said “extensive facts and evidence” will be presented at a preliminary examination to support the allegations that Jalen Pendergrass and Charla Pendergrass killed London Thomas. The two are in custody.
Arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 17 before 22nd District Judge Sabrina Johnson in Inkster. The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Dominic DeGrazia.
“I am proud of the excellent work that has been done in this case,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “It has taken countless hours of investigation, and diligent work by the Michigan State Police, the Detroit Police Department, and the FBI. As a result of that work, we have been able to charge and bring the perpetrators of this cruel and deadly crime to justice.”
Originally Published: October 16, 2025 at 3:43 PM EDT