Man faces murder charges after woman's body found in trunk in Queens

QUEENS (PIX11) --- Authorities on Tuesday indicted a man accused of a killing a 26-year-old mother of two and stuffing her body in a trunk in Queens, officials said.

Kareem Flake, 30, was arrested April 9 in Florida in connection with Destini Smothers' 2020 death. He was extradited to New York on Tuesday to face charges.

Flake and Smothers dated before her death, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. She was last seen alive in a car with Flake after leaving a bowling alley on Nov. 3, 2020. They were out for the night for Smothers' birthday.

Her decomposing remains were found four months later in the trunk of an abandoned vehicle. Smothers died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Some of Smothers' family members broke down when her body was found in 2021. Relative Tima Fowler told PIX11 she believed Flake had some involvement.

"The car went missing, she went missing. It points to him," she previously told PIX11.

Flake was indicated on charges of murder and kidnapping. He faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison if convicted.

“On the run for more than year, this defendant is now in custody and charged with the brutal murder of his girlfriend, who was also the mother of his two young children," Katz said. "This is the worst possible outcome for any individual experiencing intimate partner violence, and we express our condolences to the victim’s family. The defendant will be held to account for his alleged criminal actions.”