Mother-Son Duo Charged with Murder of His Teen Girlfriend After Body Found In Bin

Jalen Pendergrass, 23, and his 49-year-old mother, Charla Pendergrass, were arrested and charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence this week, in connection with the death of Jalen’s 17-year-old girlfriend, London Thomas.

The two were arraigned on Friday morning, where Jalen was denied bond and Charla’s bond was set at $5 million cash.

Per CBS News Detroit, they both entered not guilty pleas during the hearing; their next court date was set for October 22.

Thomas was last seen alive around 4am on April 5, 2025, after her sister dropped her off at the Pendergrass home in Inkster, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, this according to both CBS News and FOX 2 Detroit. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office reportedly claims Thomas and Pendergrass’ relationship had already ended when she went to the house.

Her sister then reported her missing later that day to the Inkster Police Department, before her mother reported her missing to Detroit police the next day, April 6.

At some point in the investigation, Charla allegedly told investigators she saw Thomas leave the home, though authorities reportedly said phone records and video evidence disputed her claims.

Police got a break in the case on April 26, which is when prosecutors say a friend of Charla’s called Inkster police with a tip, reportedly claiming that on April 7, Charla called him and asked for help moving a “sealed plastic bin with unknown contents.” He allegedly said he left the bin in an SUV in Southfield on April 11.

At the address provided by the tipster, authorities then found Thomas’ body inside the bin. An autopsy later determined Thomas died from asphyxia, with homicide as the manner of death.

In May, Charla was arrested and charged with lying to a peace officer after the body was discovered, though that charge was dropped in August as she was speaking with a federal agent at the time of her initial statement — and federal agents aren’t “peace officers” under Michigan law. Jalen, meanwhile, was reportedly considered a person of interest in Thomas’ death, but wasn’t arrested or charged until this week.

After the arrests of the two Pendergrass family members, Thomas’ stepfather, Darnell Johnson, spoke with CBS News.

“I hope it was worth it in y’all eyes, because y’all life is over with,” he told the outlet. “Harming a child, taking their life, that’s beyond being a parent, that’s just straight evil.”

“It’s always been heavy on my mind that they were involved somehow, someway,” he continued. “It just clarifies what I’ve been feeling, what everyone has been thinking.”

Telling CBS he also got a tattoo in London’s honor, Johnson added, “It’s hard not to sit in the house and not think of her at the table or couch without getting emotional because that was our baby girl.”