A Savannah man was charged with murder Monday in the Sept. 30 homicide of Amber DeLoach, an 18-year-old former St. Vincent’s Academy student and Islands High School alumna.
Shan Demetrius Cheley, 36, who lives in the Skidaway Road-Eisenhower Drive area, was charged in the death, said Julian Miller, Savannah-Chatham police spokesman.
DeLoach’s body was found inside a burning car shortly after 6:30 a.m. Sept. 30. Savannah Fire & Emergency Services had responded to an area off West Oglethorpe Avenue near West Boundary Street in the Yamacraw Village area. While firefighters were extinguishing the flames, they found DeLoach’s body inside the black Dodge Avenger.
Miller said Cheley has been detained in the Chatham County jail on charges for contempt of court and cocaine possession since Oct. 4 while detectives worked forensic evidence.
Miller said the investigation suggests Cheley and DeLoach met the night before her body was found.
Police on Oct. 3 released security camera photos and footage of a man wanted for questioning in connection with DeLoach’s death. He was seen shortly before her body was found entering a convenience store a few blocks away, police said at the time.
“The photos that were released earlier in the month and the public helped lead police to the suspect,” Miller said Monday.
A statement was sent out on behalf of DeLoach’s family late Monday afternoon.
“From the beginning we have been confident that the police would do everything they could to bring whoever was responsible for Amber’s death to justice,” the statement read. “We would like to thank the police for their diligence and commitment and we also express our deepest gratitude for the public’s assistance in this effort.”
Police on Monday did not release any details about how DeLoach died or what led to her death.