Arrest made in murder of Corrina Mehiel who was found stabbed to death inside DC home

WASHINGTON - An arrest has been made in the murder of Corrina Mehiel, a 34-year-old North Carolina woman who was in D.C. working at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, according to officials.

Authorities say 28-year-old El Hadji Alpha Madiou Toure was arrested on Monday on an outstanding warrant charge in another jurisdiction. He was transferred to D.C. where he was charged with first-degree murder and theft charges connected to Mehiel's death. Toure was denied bond Tuesday evening.

Mehiel was found on Tuesday, March 21, unconscious and with multiple stab wounds, inside of the home she was staying at in the 600 block of 14th Street in Northeast, D.C.

Charging document revealed that Corrina died from numerous stab wounds. There were also defensive wounds, according to the medical examiner.

According to Acting Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham, it does not appear the two knew each other.

The medical examiner also noted that there were multiple puncture wounds to Corrina's neck, which suggests that some sort of torture had been done.

Investigators say Mehiel had last been seen on Sunday, March 19, at the Corcoran. FOX 5 is told that Mehiel was on a short-term contract with the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design and that she was working on a project called "The Fundred Dollar Project," which is aimed at bringing attention to childhood lead poisoning.

Newsham said the community tips were extremely important in closing this case, "I will let you know how important the community tips were to the Metropolitan Police Department in closing this case. We could not have solved this case without the support of our community and for that we will be ever grateful and I am sure the Mehiel family will be grateful as well."

Police had asked for the public's help in locating Mehiel's vehicle, a 2004 four-door blue Toyota Prius. Her vehicle was later found. Court documents revealed that Corinna's card had been tracked down, and was used to make withdrawals all over the area, in Maryland and in Virginia.