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Lake Elsinore Man Charged With Murder In Girlfriend's Death

POWAY (CBS/AP) — Police issued an arrest warrant Friday for a Lake Elsinore man accused of killing his girlfriend and leaving her body inside a suitcase at a Poway motel.

Joseph Dorsey, 27, was also charged with murder in the death of Christine Stewart, who had been reported missing since Saturday.

District Attorney spokesman John Hall said investigators found evidence indicating that Stewart, 47, had been in Dorsey's Riverside County apartment before she was killed.

Officials found the victim's car near her boyfriend's residence earlier this week, according to investigators.

From there, they believe Stewart was taken to a Best Western Plus motel in Poway, where her body was found by employees Wednesday afternoon.

The suspect is a felon with a violent past.

Dorsey was last seen driving a dark blue color 1994 Ford Explorer SUV, with a primer gray hood, California license 6UDY773.

Police encourage anyone with information on the suspect to contact them immediately.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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