Tampa woman called 911 from car trunk before she died, police say

TAMPA -- Sometime before she died, Jennifer Johnson called a 911 operator to say she was in the trunk of a vehicle, Tampa police say.

Johnson, 31, was found dead Tuesday in an abandoned Lakeland house. The last time Johnson was seen alive, she was arguing with ex-boyfriend Vincent Brown at the Apollo Club late Friday. After that, police said, she went to Brown's parents' house at 3 a.m.

Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said Johnson's call to Plant City police 911 came in after 3 a.m. Saturday. Investigators would not release details about the call, saying it was critical to establishing a timeline for when Johnson was abducted and when and how she died.

"It is a very disturbing call, a very chilling call," McElroy said.

Brown, who has been named a person of interest in the case, is being held at the Orient Road Jail on unrelated charges. He remains uncooperative in the investigation, McElroy said.

Rebecca Catalanello, Times Staff Writer

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