PAYETTE, Idaho -- A woman is dead and her ex-boyfriend is in custody as police investigate a homicide in Payette.
Payette Police Chief Mark Clark says Friday morning, the mother of 23-year-old Amber Leann Schwenn called police after her daughter failed to show for work at the Burger King in Payette. She told police Schwenn was supposed to drop her toddler off with the child's father.
Clark says officers found the father, Schwenn's ex-boyfriend, 24-year-old Cody Hays in Payette.
Hays was spotted driving Schwenn's car around town without her. A family member found Hays in the car and called police.
Hays reportedly told police they could find Schwenn's body at his apartment and that he had killed her.
Police found the woman dead inside an apartment on Center Avenue.
Payette County Coroner Keith Schuller said Monday she died from manual strangulation. His findings were consistent with homicide.
Idaho State Police were called in to process the crime scene while Payette Police conducted the investigation.
Hays has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The motive is unknown as this time.
The toddler is safe and with family.
