40-year-old McDowell Facing Charges For Ziemendorf's Homicide

Erin Ziemendorf and Matthew McDowell

Ziemendorf's body was found in a trunk of a vehicle near a Chicago Greyhound station.

By H. Nelson Goodson

October 28, 2013

Kenosha, WI - Police in Kenosha have arrested Matthew McDowell, 40, of Kenosha in connection with the homicide of Erin Ziemendorf, 30, of West Allis whose body was discovered on Sunday at 6:25 p.m. by Chicago police near a Greyhound station at the 500 block of South Jefferson St. Ziemendorf's body was found inside a trunk of a grey vehicle with Wisconsin license plates. 

Ziemendorf was pronounced death at 7:25 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. The cause of death was ruled a homicide by blunt forced trauma to her neck during an assault. 

McDowell confessed to Kenosha police that both he and Ziemendorf had gotten into a heated fight and he accidentally killed her. He then drove to Chicago and left the vehicle near a Greyhound station with her body in the trunk. McDowell then took a train back to Kenosha where he turned himself to police.

McDowell who had been dating the victim for over a year and a half is now facing homicide charges and attempting to hide a corpse.
McDowell works as a License Massage Therapist at the EQUINOX Body and Soul Boutique in Kenosha, according to its website.