Police arrest 40-year-old connected to suspicious death at Hickory motel

HICKORY, N.C. — Hickory police arrested the suspect connected to a suspicious death at a local motel on Friday.

Investigators said an employee at the Motel 6 on Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard discovered a woman's body underneath a bed in one of the rooms.

One guest at the motel described smelling a foul odor Thursday, but it wasn't until lunchtime Friday that police got the 911 call.

Investigators were at the motel Friday trying to determine how the woman died.

Tim Brown was outside at the time the body was found.

"I heard some screaming and I don't know what happened after that," Brown said. "I didn't know anything was going on, to be honest with you, but wow."

Investigators identified the victim as 48-year-old Loretta Joyce Chadwick of Hickory.

Investigators arrested 40-year-old Ricky Allen Payne of Hickory on Saturday night.

Payne has been charged with first-degree murder, resist obstruct and delay an officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Payne's first court appearance is in Newton on Monday, June 10.

MORE: Man charged with murder of woman at Hickory motel to be in court

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