A 68-year-old man is facing multiple felony charges after police discovered the dismembered remains of his roommate inside a suitcase abandoned near a local cemetery. Authorities say Donald Coffel confessed to the killing during questioning, describing in graphic detail how he murdered 58-year-old Suzanne Wormser and disposed of her body.
According to The Independent, Coffel was arrested on Friday after investigators linked him to the remains found weeks earlier. The suspect told police he struck Wormser with a baseball bat, left her body inside their shared apartment for over a week, and later dismembered her using a handsaw.
“Alright man, I did it. I hit her in the head with a f*ng baseball bat and it cracked her f*kng head open,” Coffel reportedly told officers during the interrogation.
Body parts were divided between bags and suitcase, police say
Following the fatal attack, Coffel allegedly placed parts of Wormser’s remains into two garbage bags, which he disposed of in trash bins. He then placed her torso inside a suitcase and left it at the entrance of a cemetery not far from their home.
A witness discovered the suitcase on March 19 and alerted authorities. Upon opening the bag, officers found a woman’s torso. Investigators later determined the suitcase had likely been at the location since mid-February.
On April 9, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that Wormser’s death was a homicide.
Forensic evidence and confession corroborate gruesome scene
During a subsequent search of the apartment shared by the victim and the suspect, police found a large quantity of blood and a baseball bat with human hair. Investigators also recovered a handsaw, a garbage bag containing Wormser’s clothing, and another with her purse, wallet, and various forms of identification.
Police believe Coffel acted alone in the crime. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond and faces charges of murder, tampering with evidence, and improper disposal of a human body.
Due to medical issues, Coffel appeared virtually for his initial court hearing on Monday. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 10.