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Missing teacher's son told police boyfriend 'hurt mommy in the face'

Channel 9 learned new details Monday in the search for missing teacher Bianca Tanner.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe elevated the case to a homicide investigation on Thursday.

Tanner disappeared after moving to Charlotte to take a job with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  She has not been seen since June 7.

New search warrants released Monday detail what police found and what they were searching for when they were called to Tanner’s boyfriend's apartment on Druid Circle in response to a missing persons call.

Police said Tanner’s boyfriend, Angelo Smith, reported her missing on June 8. Smith told police the two got into an argument over a text message, the warrant states.

In the warrant, Smith said Tanner left the apartment intoxicated carrying a bag with her.  Tanner has not been seen since.

During the investigation, CMPD detectives talked to several family members of Tanner, including her 3-year-old son, the warrant states.

During the interview, Tanner’s son told police, “Mommy got a spanking with the belt. Angelo kicked mommy’s butt and made her cry.”

The boy also told police that “Angelo is mean to mommy and hurt mommy in the face,” the warrant states.

The search warrant states police are looking for a belt/paddle, cellphones, clothes worn by Tanner during the alleged assault, evidence of blood, hairs and other bodily fluids.

The warrant states detectives also searching for other evidence that may relate to the concealment of the assault.

Police did find a Dell laptop, foam bedding in the trash outside, various papers, a white Apple iPhone, two notebooks, a black zipper pouch with an empty magazine, a Captain Morgan bottle, two torn photographs from the trash inside and a gold-post earring and the back in the trash.

Detectives said prior to an interview with Smith where police were going to search his phone, he began deleting information from the phone, the search warrant indicates.

Investigators said Smith had an outstanding warrant for domestic battery out of Arkansas.  In that case, Smith’s girlfriend at the time reported to police that he “threw her onto the bed and covered her face, both mouth and nose, with his hand, smothering her,” the warrant states.

Tanner’s ex-husband, with whom she shares a joint bank account, said there has been no bank activity on the debit card that is linked to their account, police said.

Smith has not been named a suspect in the case.

The family has set up a Go Fund Me page set up for the search and rescue of Bianca Tanner. Find out how to help here.

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