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Boyfriend Of Woman Found Dead In Car Charged With Murder

KENOSHA, Wis. (STMW) -- A Wisconsin man has been charged with murder after his girlfriend was found beaten to death in the trunk of a car Sunday night near the Chicago Greyhound Station on the Near West Side.

Matthew McDowell, 40, of Kenosha, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse, according to court records. In Kenosha County Court on Tuesday, he was ordered held on a $350,000 bond.

McDowell was dating Erin Ziemendorf, 30, who was found dead in the trunk of a vehicle in the 500 block of South Jefferson Street about 6:25 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Ziemendorf, of the 800 block of West 91st Street in West Allis, Wis., was pronounced dead at the scene and suffered "obvious trauma," according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

An autopsy Monday found she died of blunt neck trauma from an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.

McDowell, of the 2000 block of 61st Street in Kenosha, is next scheduled to appear in court Nov. 5.

Anyone with information should contact Det. James Beller at (262) 605-5275 or Kenosha Crime Stoppers at (262) 656-7333.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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