Behind Closed Doors: The murder of Lauren Charles

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - The family of a Montgomery County woman killed in March 2021 is sharing her story with FOX 5. 

Two years ago, 40-year-old Lauren Charles was found brutally murdered inside her Kensington home. A bizarre 911 call and a common electronic device helped investigators crack the case and zero in on the person they say killed the beloved daughter and friend.

"I can only imagine what was going through her head because she was alive," said Chinedum Nwaobasi-McMillan, one of Charles' best friends.

"The bedroom is completely just destroyed. There [are] items everywhere, all over the floor. Things just thrown all about," Montgomery County's lead investigator Sherri Galladora told FOX 5. "Blood was everywhere. It was on the back of the door. It was along the walls. You can see, you know, bloody hand prints all over the carpet in the bedroom."

Now, Charles' loved ones are hoping her story can help someone else.

FOX 5's Jacqueline Matter takes an in-depth look at the case — from the day of the murder to the killer’s days in court — in this true crime special.