Missouri Man Charged In Girlfriend's Death After 911 Call

A Missouri man dialed 911 after his girlfriend died at a motel, but investigators soon found something disturbing that turned the case into a homicide probe. Nicholas Ayres, 35, faces charges of second-degree felony murder and first-degree domestic assault in the death of Destiny Dunn, who was 37, according to records from Columbia Police and Boone County jail.

The investigation kicked off around 3:22 p.m. on Aug. 12 when Ayres called emergency services and told a dispatcher that Dunn was lying down, might still have a heartbeat, and appeared "red and blue," per a probable cause statement reviewed by Fox News Digital. Ayres claimed the couple had fought in the shower and that she fell after he stepped out, the court document says.

But as the dispatcher pressed him on her condition, Ayres allegedly admitted they had been fighting and noted she was bruised. "It looks like I f---ing beat her up and I promise to God I didn't do it," Ayres told the operator, according to the PCS. The dispatcher then instructed him on how to perform chest compressions. Officers arrived about a minute later and found Dunn dead, per the affidavit. Investigators noted bruising across her body, including severe marks on her neck and face, plus swollen and discolored eyelids.

Police quickly pieced together what allegedly happened inside the motel room. Neighbors sharing a wall told investigators they heard sounds of a physical altercation around 11 a.m. that morning, according to the court filing. Ayres was taken into custody. During a post-Miranda interview, he allegedly admitted having physical altercations with Dunn on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 but characterized them as accidental and told investigators he "does not beat women," the affidavit alleges.

Then investigators searched the motel room. Police said they found Ayres' cellphone, and its contents allegedly provided a disturbing timeline stretching from days before Dunn's death into her final hours. One video recorded Aug. 10 showed Dunn without bruising on her face, per the affidavit. Another recording later that night allegedly showed Ayres repeatedly assaulting her for more than a minute. In that clip, investigators say Ayres could be heard telling Dunn to "clean up her mess" while sounds of slapping and punching were captured. Near the end, police said Ayres appeared to grab Dunn by the hair and punch her in the face, knocking her down.

By the afternoon of Aug. 12, the recordings allegedly painted a far more dire picture. At 12:06 p.m., police said a photo showed Dunn lying in a bathtub wearing only a shirt. A five-second video recorded at the same time allegedly showed her barely moving. Two minutes later, another video allegedly captured Ayres pacing between the motel room and bathroom while a woman could be heard groaning. About a minute into that recording, investigators say Ayres told Dunn he was "really calling 911." "I have to because I'm not going down for manslaughter," he allegedly said, per the affidavit.

But the 911 call that followed did not bring police rushing to the motel. At 12:21 p.m., just 13 minutes after the video, Ayres called emergency services and told dispatchers the call was accidental, according to the probable cause statement. He verified his name, phone number and location before disconnecting.

It would be roughly three more hours before the 3:22 p.m. call that brought officers to Dunn. Police also photographed what the affidavit described as defensive wounds on Ayres' left wrist and torso. Investigators ultimately determined Dunn's death was a homicide, Columbia Police said.

An officer in the PCS claims Ayres beat Dunn until she died from her wounds. Jail records show Ayres is being held without bond and must appear in court on Sept. 2. As the criminal case advances, Dunn's family remembers her as far more than just the victim in a homicide probe. Her sister, Marinah Hollon, called Dunn "loving, nurturing, and incredibly sweet" in a GoFundMe post. She noted that this mother left her children facing life without her presence.

"She had a beautiful soul and a heart that cared deeply for the people around her," Hollon wrote. "She was someone who brought love and kindness into the lives of others." No family should ever have to endure this kind of heartbreak, Hollon added. Columbia Police said the investigation remains ongoing.