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Police arrest Christopher Whitaker in murder of Alianna Defreeze

The Cleveland Division of Police announced the arrest of a suspect in the kidnapping and aggravated murder of Alianna Defreeze.

The Cleveland Division of Police announced the arrest of a suspect in the kidnapping and aggravated murder of Alianna Defreeze.

Christopher Whitaker, 44, was apprehended Thursday evening in Mayfield Heights by Cleveland Police and the United States Marshals Service.

Whitaker does have prior criminal convictions, most recently for felonious assault and sexual battery. He was identified as the suspect in the Defreeze murder through evidence discovered by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office Northeast Ohio Regional Forensic Laboratory.

14-year-old Alianna Defreeze was last seen on Thursday at 6:30 a.m. boarding an RTA bus to go to school. Alianna's mother contacted Cleveland Police after being told by her school that her daughter was not in attendance that day.

Alianna's body was found on Sunday in an abandoned home on Fuller Avenue.

Officials maintain that the investigation is still in the early stages.

They are still encouraging the public to come forward with any information, so that they can more accurately continue the investigation.

If you have any information in the case reach out to police in several ways. Contact homicide investigators at 216-623-5464 or Crimestoppers at 216-252-7463. Tips may be provided anonymously.

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