Take Mama to the Dumpster: The Murder of Alexandria Salem

It wasn't just another Tuesday morning for the owner of Carolina Cleaners in Charlotte, N.C. No -- it was 7 a.m. and they were looking at a body in a bag by a Dumpster. The person who found the body was doing a morning garbage run and they noticed that the bag in question was too large, and that it had been placed by the Dumpster sometime the night before.

Must have been like waking to a day scripted by David Lynch. This whole story might be Lynchian, but for the fact it's real.

The body belonged to Alexandria Salem, age 46. Charlotte-Mecklenburg authorities believe Salem was murdered by her daughter and the daughter's boyfriend. So they have murder warrants out now for Leslie Michelle Morales, age 21, and her boyfriend, Daniel Francis Pataki -- he's 22 years old.

The Charlotte authorities say they think Salem was murdered at a Motel 6 prior to her body being dumped. They have interviewed a number of guests there as well as residents at a nearby pair of apartment buildings.

Everyone in this tale of woe apparently had a MySpace profile:

* Daniel Pataki
* Leslie Michelle Morales (she goes by "Lisa")
* Alexandria Salem

Pataki's last log-in was on 9/9/08. His headline read, "I love my baby and there is not a thing anybody can do to change that even the slightest bit. Im in love, and I always will be!" His profile photo showed him and Leslie Morales in "gangsta" get-up, wearing do-rags and shades. The photo was probably a tongue-in-cheek attempt to look hard, however -- Pataki's profile seemed to speak of an inward-looking guy who liked to read and write.

Under "About Me," he wrote the following:

People have so many views of me. Some of you may hate me, and some of you may like me. I really don't care if you hate me, because I can live without hate. But like me or love me, your always welcome. So yeah, I'm an asshole to some, an angel to others, but mostly just in between. I would say more, but then where's the fun part of messaging :) Anyways, need to contact me privately or something or need my actual response, catch me on AIM at shyguywriter. Don't let the name fool you though, I'm far from shy. Anyways, im out of school, looking for work so I can live out my life...

Pataki also kept his MySpace blog updated through 2007. One of his more interesting posts was made on April 9, 2007. It read as follows:

Hey people. Never thought that this would have happened to me, but it did. I am out of a home. I am officially homeless in 12 hours. Pretty much, my gf and me are getting kicked out because 1, there is not enough room here. 2, my dad's girlfriend is a bitch and doesnt want us around anymore. So anyways, were out on the streets tomorrow. Its gonna be hard, but I have a fighting spirit and were not gonna stay on the streets for long. So people, I need you to do something for me. Pray for our safety, and that we are going to make it. We need all the help we can use right now.

Over a month later, Leslie "Lisa" Morales posted a comment on that entry, using a private MySpace profile. Morales wrote, in part, "well aint that some shit, i am in the same exact situation with my bf [...] but you have to just suck it up and deal with it sometimes, bcuz i know that if you guys stick together and never let go.....if you do that then i know that you guys can get through anything..... [...] just hang in there and just keep on loving each other and take care of urselfs and everything will be ok.......i promise you that..."

On her public page, apparently created while she was living in East Palo Alto, CA with Pataki, Leslie Morales had the following headline: "I AM WHO I AM, LIKE IT OR NOT, I DONT CARE:)" In the portion of the profile asking who her "heroes" were, Morales posted, "MY MOTHER AND MY FIANCE:) I LOVE YOU BAYBAY:) YOU 2 MAMA:)"

Alexandria "Alex" Salem was Leslie's 2nd "top" friend. Mother and daughter had a partial running communication going on via MySpace comments, the most substantive being comments left by Morales on her mother's profile. Did the provide insight into the reality of this mother-daughter relationship? Perhaps. One thing was clear -- Morales didn't like living in East Palo Alto. She left this comment for her mother on May 22, 2008: "i am in the process of getting the hell out of this place [...] i hate it here. but anywho i am going to call you next thursday that is coming up soon."

Later the same day, Morales sounded like a million other twenty-somethings in over their heads and ready to regress for a bit. She wrote:

hey momma, we need your help. we recently bought a car because we were tired of walking everywhere in the heat and figured it could help us move our stuff on the trip. But, we are scared that the car will break down on us in the middle of the US. So we dont know what to do. Whether to sell the car or try to get our money back (500$) or just risk it. please help and please reply soon.

It seems like Alexandria Salem tried to get in touch with her daughter. Morales left this open letter to her mother on May 24:

hey momma,
i am so sorry that i didnt call you back like i said i would but the family wouldnt let me use there phone. but i promise you that i am doing my best to figure out something about this trip and how we are going to do it. i promise you that i will keep in touch and i will keep you posted about everything.
i have to go for now but i will talk to you later. i love you and please dont worry, everything will be ok.
i love you!!! c~ya

There are thousands of miles between East Palo Alto and Charlotte, NC. Seems like there must have been a few thousand more between the daughter who called her mother one of her heroes and addressed her in such a loving (if pleading) manner and the daughter who now stands accused of murder.

The suspects, Leslie "Lisa" Morales and Daniel Pataki, are said to be driving a red Chevy Cobalt, North Carolina tag #XKY-6459. If you see the vehicle in question call 911 immediately. If you have information about this case, call 704-432-TIPS.

[WCNC.com, link 1 and link 2. See also: Charlotte Observer.]