ST. LOUIS — A man was taken into custody Thursday, a day after he was charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend whose body was discovered Saturday night.
Zaveon Mills, 21, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action Wednesday in connection with the death of Kiya Holt-Biggs. Mills was not in custody at the time the charges were filed, but a social media post from the department Thursday morning said he was captured in Wentzville.
Warning: The details in this story are disturbing.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the Safe Connections Crisis Helpline at 314-531-2003. You can also text that number from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, free of charge.
Alternatives to Living In Violent Environments also has a crisis line at 314-993-2777. ALIVE also has hotline specifically for those in Franklin County at 800-941-9144.
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The burned remains of a woman were found at around 8:30 p.m. in a parking lot on the 1200 block of Switzer Avenue in St. Louis's Baden neighborhood. That portion of Switzer Avenue is near Baden Avenue.
The woman, identified on Wednesday as 21-year-old Granite City resident Kiya Holt-Biggs, was found unconscious and not breathing, and she had been set on fire, according to the police report.
She was pronounced dead at the scene by responding paramedics.
According to charging documents, police discovered surveillance video that showed Mills get out of a sedan on the parking lot, pull Holt-Biggs from the car and slit her throat and leave her on the parking lot. Police said he drove to a "residence associated with his family" but returned to the parking lot about an hour.
Police said he was seen on surveillance using an aerosol can and lighter to light her body on fire.
Police said Hold-Biggs' family and others told them that Mills was abusive. Another woman has an active order of protection against him in St. Charles County.
More information may be forthcoming further into the investigation. This story will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available.
Resources for crime victims
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
The Crime Victim Center of St. Louis has multiple programs to support victims of crime. Crime Victim Center’s programs range from direct services to crime victims as well as “creating awareness and change within the systems they encounter.”
Life Outside of Violence "helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence."
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has the Neighborhood Healing Network, which serves people who have experienced crime, violence or been the victim of an incident that caused trauma.
The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (BRIC) is a community-based clinic in St. Louis that helps people heal after they have been injured by a bullet. The BRIC was established to help people who are discharged home from the emergency department after being shot.