Family IDs body as missing Detroit woman

Detroit — A 24-year-old Detroit woman missing since Friday was found dead early Monday evening, according to the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Family members positively identified Kajavia Globe on Tuesday morning, her sister Alondrianna Burns said through tears.

“The first thing that I wanted was to have her back,” Burns said earlier Tuesday before the identification. “The next thing is to have the person who did this put away.”

Globe’s body was identified by her father, according to medical examiner spokesman Lloyd Jackson.

An autopsy has been completed on Globe’s body, Jackson said. The cause and manner of death remain pending.

Police found Globe’s body early Monday evening near Fielding and Clarita on the city’s west side after receiving a tip, officials said.

As the oldest sister, Globe constantly took care of her three younger sisters, ages 13 to 22, Burns said earlier Tuesday.

“It’s not a day that goes by that if there’s anything we need, she’s going to do it for you,” Burns said.

That included staying up nights with Burns, who had severe asthma as a child.

“I can remember times that my mom had to go to work and she’d sit up with me so I could sleep,” Burns said. “Every hour on the hour, she’d wake me up and give me my breathing machine. Then she’d go to school with no sleep, because she had to look out for me.”

Globe was last seen leaving work around noon Friday in the area of McNichols and Southfield Service Drive, police said. She was driving Burns’ gold 2003 Chevrolet Impala, the sister said.

Family members filed a missing persons report Saturday, Police Chief James Craig said at a Monday press conference.

“Every step of the way, (the police) have been helpful,” Burns said. “They’ve been willing to listen, and they’ve been doing their due diligence.”

After a weekend of investigation, the vehicle was recovered around 6:30 a.m. Monday near Chatham and Fenkell.

“As we recovered her vehicle, there was evidence of foul play,” Craig said then.

He declined to specify what type of evidence was discovered but repeatedly referred to Globe as a “victim.”

Investigators also discovered a masked individual took an unspecified amount of money from Globe’s bank account at a west side ATM, he said. The withdrawal occurred after 5 p.m. Friday, hours after Globe went missing.

“We’re processing some video,” Craig said. “The person in the video was masked up.”

Craig said police believe the individual is male but can't be sure due to the person’s face being covered. Investigators also can’t yet rule out a known acquaintance as the suspect, he said.

Police later Monday released an image of the masked individual taken from the ATM surveillance cameras. Burns said she immediately recognized her vehicle in the picture.

“And at the same time, I see that he didn’t have on gloves,” she said, referring to the masked individual. “That’s good, because he left DNA. He left that behind. That’s a mistake he made.”

Globe’s bank cards were recovered inside her vehicle, Craig said. There has been no known activity on her cellphone, which has not been located.

Craig declined to specify where the ATM is located, but police did say it is on the city's west side. Globe's workplace and the location of the recovered vehicle also were on the west side of the city. Police declined to say where the woman worked.

“The family intimated that it was highly unusual for their daughter to just go missing,” Craig said.

Burns early Tuesday reiterated that Globe would not stay out of touch with family for more than a few hours.

“She Facetimes us every morning, she Facetimes (her younger sisters to say) have a good time at school,” Burns said. “She’s the best. She’s got the biggest heart in the world.”

Anyone with information, including those who may have seen the Impala prior to its recovery Monday, should call Detroit Police at (313) 596-5840.

HFournier@detroitnews.com

(313) 223-4616

@HollyPFournier