Aaliyah Michelle Fortner was just 23 when she died inside a home where she was supposed to receive care and protection. The young woman, who was nonverbal and had autism, weighed only 84 pounds when she died. Six months earlier, she had weighed 143 pounds. Now, her death has become the center of a murder case involving allegations of severe neglect, repeated beatings and disturbing treatment by the people responsible for looking after her.
Fortner was found dead on October 26, 2025, inside a residence on Greenbrook Trail in Dallas, North Carolina. Police discovered her body after an unusual turn of events involving a vehicle crash on Interstate 85. Marlo Wallace, who was driving a vehicle involved in a collision with a semitruck, was taken to a hospital. While speaking with investigators, she reportedly told them that they would find a deceased person at her home.
Officers went to the property and found Fortner’s body. Investigators learned that the 23-year-old had been living at the residence under the care of Wallace and another woman, Vera Williams. Both women were later arrested and accused of abusing and neglecting Fortner. What began as an investigation into a death soon grew into a much more serious criminal case.
The medical findings raised even more disturbing questions. An autopsy revealed that Fortner weighed approximately 84 pounds at the time of her death, despite weighing 143 pounds at a medical appointment about six months earlier. That meant she had lost nearly 60 pounds during that period. The examination also documented blunt-force injuries to her head, torso, arms and legs.
The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Fortner died from severe protein-calorie malnutrition caused by inadequate food intake due to caregiver neglect. Her death was officially classified as a homicide. The findings gave investigators a clearer picture of what had happened to the young woman and became a major part of the case against her caregivers.
Court records also describe allegations of repeated physical assaults. Wallace reportedly admitted to striking Fortner with objects, pushing her to the ground, using a Taser on her and stomping on her head. Williams also reportedly admitted to hitting Fortner with objects, with one incident involving a broom that broke during the assault. Prosecutors further said some of the alleged abuse was recorded by surveillance cameras. Although an attempt was made to delete the footage, investigators managed to recover it.
In June 2026, Wallace was charged with first-degree murder in addition to her earlier charges of concealment of death from unnatural causes, patient abuse and neglect, and felony assault of a person with disabilities. Williams continues to face patient-abuse and neglect charges, along with felony assault of a person with disabilities. She has not been identified as facing the same murder charge.
The case took another turn in August 2026 when prosecutors asked for six months to decide whether to seek the death penalty against Wallace. The request placed the possibility of capital punishment on the table, although prosecutors had not announced a final decision in the available reporting. The murder charge and other allegations remain subject to the criminal proceedings, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Fortner’s former guardian, Glenda Watkins, has also spoken about the young woman and the difficult circumstances surrounding her placement in the home. Watkins said she had been close to Fortner and considered her almost like a daughter. She explained that family circumstances, including several deaths in her family, contributed to her decision to place Fortner in the residence. Learning how much weight the young woman had lost left her heartbroken.
For those who knew Fortner, her death is not simply another criminal case. She was a young woman who needed patience, attention and consistent care. Because she could not speak, she depended on the people around her to notice when something was wrong and make sure her basic needs were met. Her family is now left with painful questions about what happened inside the home and why the warning signs were not addressed sooner.