Ex-Boyfriend Pleads Guilty in Murder of Missing Detroit Teen London Thomas

The former boyfriend of 17-year-old London Thomas has admitted responsibility for her killing more than a year after the Detroit-area teenager disappeared and was later found dead inside a storage bin.

On Thursday, July 2, 2026, 23-year-old Jalen Pendergrass pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Wayne County. The plea agreement resulted in all of the remaining charges against him being dismissed. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31.

London Thomas was reported missing after she was dropped off at Pendergrass’ home on Carlysle Street in Inkster on April 5, 2025. Investigators said the relationship between the two had already ended by that time.

For weeks, Thomas’ family searched for answers. Then, on April 26, 2025, investigators located her body inside a sealed storage bin that had been placed in an SUV parked on Millard Street in Southfield.

According to prosecutors, the discovery came after one of Jalen Pendergrass’ mother’s friends contacted the FBI.

The witness said Charla Pendergrass had asked him on April 11 to help move a sealed plastic bin containing unknown contents. He told investigators he loaded the container into an SUV without knowing what was inside. When authorities searched the vehicle, they discovered London Thomas’ body inside the bin.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner determined Thomas died from asphyxia, and her death was officially ruled a homicide.

In October 2025, prosecutors charged both Jalen Pendergrass and his mother, 49-year-old Charla Pendergrass, with second-degree murder and evidence tampering in connection with the case.

While Jalen Pendergrass has now pleaded guilty, the case against Charla Pendergrass remains active. She is scheduled to appear in court on July 31 for a pretrial hearing. Court records show she has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.