A 50-year-old Kansas City man is charged with second-degree murder in the strangulation death of a 40-year-old woman whose body was discovered in a trash can Friday, authorities said Sunday.
Quelin E. Percaido Jr. was arrested Saturday in Blue Springs. He has denied any involvement in the death of Wanda K. Benenhaley, according to Kansas City police.
Police said that, according to witnesses, Percaido, Benenhaley and others had been drinking Friday night in his residence in the 2300 block of Poplar Avenue. Percaido is accused of pinning Benenhaley to the floor near the entrance to the house and striking her and strangling her.
Percaido then allegedly placed Benenhaley’s body in a trash can and dragged the container across the street, police said.
Police discovered her body in the trash after responding to a call at about 6:40 p.m. Friday. The Jackson County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide by strangulation.
| Mark Davis, mdavis@kcstar.com
