A young Illinois man has been arrested for killing a beautiful 20-year-old nursing student after meeting her online and “hooking up”.

Richard Chavez, 24, is accused of killing Charisma Ehresman, who was found dead in her car in West Side in the city of Chicago in the US state of Illinois on 28th January.

The pair reportedly met online and “hooked up” on 23rd January.

Cook County prosecutors said in court on Saturday, 19th February, that the victim drove to the suspect’s home in Oak Park, where he was seen walking on the pavement at around 10.40pm in CCTV images before going indoors with her, adding that she was not seen leaving the property.

Prosecutors said Chavez then drove the victim’s car to West Iowa Street, where he exited alone and walked around for an hour before contacting his brother to ask for a lift less than a mile away.

Ehresman’s family reported her as missing to the police on 25th January.

Three days later, her body was found in the backseat of her car with a jacket covering her face, according to prosecutors.

Cook County forensic experts determined that the victim died of smothering and strangulation and ruled her passing as homicide.

According to prosecutors, the last call the victim made was to Chavez’s number and phone records show it ‘pinged’ at his address on 23rd January.

Court records show he was arrested the same day the victim was reported as missing and that he told officers that they “hooked up”, claiming she had already left his home when he woke up the following morning.

Prosecutors said the suspect called his parents at the police station and that he asked them to get his passport ready.

During a search of the suspect’s house on 31st January, the police found a partially-packed suitcase in his bedroom and the face mask he was wearing in the CCTV images after abandoning the victim’s vehicle.

The investigation continues.