Man accused of slitting metro-east woman’s throat, burning her body, has been captured

A murder charge has been filed against a man wanted in the death of his 21-year-old girlfriend, a metro-east woman whose throat was slit and body burned in north St. Louis, according to police and court records.

The body of Kiya Holt-Biggs was found Saturday, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. A news release from the police department lists her hometown as Granite City while an obituary lists Pontoon Beach.

Zaveon Alexander Mills, 21, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with Holt-Biggs’ death, according to an at-large arrest warrant and a probable cause statement. St. Louis Metropolitan Police said in a press release Wednesday that Mills remained at large and likely fled St. Louis “and possibly the state of Missouri, to avoid arrest.”

They confirmed Thursday morning that Mills has been captured and remains in custody. No other details about his arrest were available.

Funeral services for Holt-Biggs are pending with the Wojstrom Funeral Home & Crematory in Granite City.

The probable cause statement by a St. Louis detective made the following allegations against Mills:

• On Saturday, Mills is seen on surveillance video driving a car onto an empty lot in the 1200 block of Switzer Avenue in St. Louis.
• He gets out of the vehicle, removes the victim from the trunk and then “proceeds to slit Victim’s throat before getting back into the vehicle and driving away.”
• Mills is then seen a short time later at a home “associated with his family” and he is holding the victim’s purse.
• About an hour later, Mills is seen reapproaching the victim’s body, this time arriving on foot.
• “Defendant proceeds to use an aerosol can as an accelerant to light the body on fire before leaving the scene,” the statement alleges.
• Mills is later seen at a home in Illinois, where he had bags containing the victim’s purse, wallet, identification and bloody clothes. Witnesses said he was “acting erratic and hiding his hands.” Mills told a witness that “he was leaving town.”

Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the St. Louis police homicide Division at 314-444-5371. Anyone who wants to remain anonymous and/or is interested in a possible reward can call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).

This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 5:00 PM.