Clawson woman charged for lying to police in London Thomas death investigation

Clawson woman charged with lying to police in London Thomas disappearance, murder

Jestina Martin wants justice for her granddaughter and says she spoke to suspect Charla Pendergrass and thought she was lying, then.

FOX 2 - A Clawson woman has been charged for lying to police during the investigation into the London Thomas death investigation.

The backstory:

Charla Rashida Pendergrass, 48, allegedly failed to tell the truth to FBI agents during the investigation into Thomas, who was last seen April 5 in Inkster when she was dropped off to visit her 23-year-old boyfriend. She was found dead on April 26 in Southfield.

Charla Rashida Pendergrass

Two suspects in her murder were arrested by police soon after. One was released, the other is Pendergrass, who was re-arrested. The other person released is still considered a suspect, according to Michigan State Police.

It is unclear what connection Pendergrass and Thomas had with one another. Pendergrass is connected to a home on Carlysle Street in Inkster. The same street Thomas was last seen.

London Thomas' grandmother told FOX 2 she has been miserable.

"I'm not eating, not sleeping," said Jestina Martin. "It's just heartbreaking. I'm never going to get my baby back."

Martin said she suspects Pendergrass being involved in some way.

"I think she's got something to do with it," she said. "I want justice for my granddaughter. I want her to go to jail for murder."

Thomas' grandmother said shortly after the teen went missing, she confronted Pendergrass.

"I talked to the lady," she said. "She told me my granddaughter had left. I knew she was lying."

Martin said that encounter happened when the family was looking for London.

"She was sitting in the car acting like she was talking to somebody and didn't want anybody in the house to know what she was saying," Martin said. "When she said (London) had walked off, I knew she was lying."

Pendergrass was arraigned Friday afternoon and given a $50,000 cash/surety bond with a GPS tether. She was ordered to have no contact with the witnesses in the investigation, to surrender her passport, not to leave the state of Michigan without permission, and have no possession of weapons or ammunition.