Jhessye Shockley's Mother Jerice Hunter Arrested for Girl's Murder

The Glendale Police Department has just announced that Jerice Hunter, the mother of missing and presumed dead 5-year-old Jhessye Shockley, was arrested for the murder of her daughter.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said Hunter's charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.

Shockley was reported missing in October, and her mother has always been the prime suspect in her death.

Hunter -- who's served prison time for child abuse before for abusing her other children -- had always denied hurting Jhessye, although police said in November that investigators believed Jhessye was thrown in a Tempe trash can, and her body was likely taken to a landfill.

The landfill search was completed in June, with no sign of Jhessye.

Montgomery noted that his office has successfully prosecuted murder cases before without a body, and said it "did not prove an impediment" to this case.

Between police, Montgomery, and the FBI, this afternoon's press conference was extremely light on details.

Why did it take so long to pin the murder on Hunter? That wasn't really answered, although police said the landfill search did need to be completed before putting the entire case together.

Police said Hunter was arrested without incident at her home in Mesa.

Our previous stories on Shockley's disappearance below:

• Jhessye Shockley Search Ends Without a Trace of 5-Year-Old Girl's Body

• Jhessye Shockley Search in "Final Stages," Glendale Police Say

• Jhessye Shockley Disappearance: Search of Landfill About 75 Percent Complete

• Jhessye Shockley Disappearance: Documents Found Dated Around Time Girl Went Missing

• Jhessye Shockley Disappearance: Search Of Landfill Continues, Photos Released

• Jhessye Shockley Disappearance: Search Of Landfill For 5-Year-Old's Body Starts Today

• Glendale Police to Search Landfill For Body of Missing 5-Year-Old Jhessye Shockley

• Jhessye Shockley Thrown in Tempe Trash Can; Case Now a Homicide Investigation, Glendale Police Say

• Jhessye Shockley Disappearance: Glendale Police Won't Search Landfill For Girl's Remains

• Jerice Hunter Attorney: Timing of Hunter's Arrest "Real Fishy"

• Jerice Hunter, Mom Eyed in Disappearance of 5-Year-Old Jhessye Shockley, Has an Attorney

• Jerice Hunter, Mother Suspected in Disappearance of 5-Year-Old Jhessye Shockley, Released From Jail

• Jerice Hunter Bond Request Turned Down by Bail Bondsman; Mom's 5-year-Old Still Missing, Believed Dead

• Missing 5-Year-Old Jhessye Shockley's Mother Arrested by Glendale P.D.

• Jhessye Shockley Not Likely to Be Found Alive, Glendale PD Says. Mother Arrested for Child Abuse "Directly Related" to Disappearance

• Jhessye Shockley, 5, Still Missing -- One Month Later

• Jhessye Shockley Disappearance Featured on America's Most Wanted; Investigators Remain Optimistic

• Jhessye Shockley's Mother: "I Want to Talk to Jan Brewer." Continues to Bash Glendale P.D., CPS

• Amber Alert For 5-Year-Old Jahessye Shockley Called Off. Police NOT Searching Landfill

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