Caregiver stomped non-verbal woman to death and then told police 'they would find a deceased person' in her home after car crash, cops say

A North Carolina caregiver allegedly shocked a nonverbal pistillate with autism with a Taser and stomped her to decease earlier she tried to dice by termination by crashing her car, aboriginal telling cops "they would find a deceased person" astatine her home.

Marlo Wallace, 59, stands accused of first-degree murder successful the decease of 23-year-old Aaliyah Fortner. The probe began connected Oct. 26, 2025, erstwhile the Gastonia Police Department responded to a clang betwixt a semi-truck and Wallace's vehicle.

After she was taken to the hospital, Wallace informed officers that they would find a dormant idiosyncratic astatine her residence successful the 1800 artifact of Green Brook Trail successful Dallas.

Cops went to the location and recovered Fortner's body. Fortner was entrusted to Wallace's attraction and lived successful the defendant's home.

A probable origin apprehension affidavit said Wallace assaulted Fortner connected "multiple occasions" by hitting her with objects, pushing her to the ground, utilizing Taser connected her, kicking her and stomping connected her head. Wallace was primitively charged with concealment of decease from unnatural causes, diligent maltreatment and neglect and felony battle of an idiosyncratic with disabilities.

After receiving autopsy results, prosecutors determined that Wallace murdered Fortner with "malice afterthought." The results of the autopsy were not made public.

Since Fortner was nonverbal, she was incapable to articulate what was happening to her. That's what makes her member astir angry.

"For her to beryllium unsocial done each of that and past for it to extremity the mode it did, I hatred to adjacent deliberation what was going connected successful her mind," Caleb Simpson told section ABC affiliate WSOC.

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Another pistillate liable for Fortner's care, Vera Williams, besides is charged with diligent maltreatment and neglect and felony battle of an idiosyncratic with disabilities.

"It hurts," Simpson said successful a TV interview. "My sister went done each of that alone."

Local NBC affiliate WCNC reported authorities revoked Wallace's guardianship of different nonverbal big surviving astatine her location immoderate 2 years earlier Fortner's placement.

Simpson said her sister ne'er should person been placed with Wallace.

"Watch who you trust. Everybody should beryllium aggravated astir thing similar this," Simpson told WCNC. "Let's accidental you beryllium determination and you spot the state, and past they conscionable neglect you similar that. Makes nary sense."

Wallace remains down bars astatine the Gaston County Jail. Her adjacent tribunal quality is acceptable for June 19.