Authorities have arrested Emmanuel Poindexter, 39, in connection with the murder of Melissa Ruth Tibbetts, 45, who was found dead in her luxury hotel room in Atlanta on October 14. Tibbetts was in town for a chemicals conference.
Poindexter was identified as a suspect on October 22 but was not taken into custody until Monday, November 2. He was found receiving medical treatment for a self-inflicted knife wound in Gwinnett County, according to the Atlanta Police Department.
ACM Chemistries, Tibbetts' employer, alerted hotel security after she failed to appear for a scheduled meeting the day after her death. Investigators discovered that room service for two people had been ordered to Tibbetts's room the previous night, and multiple drink containers were found at the scene. Arrest warrants indicate Poindexter is accused of striking Tibbetts multiple times and breaking her hyoid bone, contributing to her death.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner declared Tibbetts's death a homicide. Surveillance cameras in the hotel hallways were not operational, and other hotel cameras were reportedly down at the time of the incident, investigators told WSBTV.
Poindexter has been booked into Fulton County Jail and faces charges of Murder and Aggravated Battery. The exact relationship between Tibbetts and Poindexter is unclear, although both resided in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Tibbetts's family has started a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral and memorial service expenses. She is survived by her son, Hunter.