CHARLOTTE – An arrest has been made following the incident where a young woman’s body was found by a groundskeeper at a church.

According to a release, retired Navy veteran Eric Brian Brown, 45, is charged with kidnapping Ashanti Billie, 19, on Sept. 18. On that day, she had just arrived at her job at a Blimpie’s restaurant in Norfolk, Virginia.

Days later, on Sept. 29, the affidavit says Billie’s body was found 300 yards away from Brown’s childhood home on Grier’s Grove Road in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ashanti Billie’s disappearance left many people puzzled about her whereabouts. Billie did not attend class or work. Her mother posted a viral video begging for people to help find her daughter.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Body found behind Charlotte church confirmed to be missing teen

Court documents say Brown served 21 years in the Navy and was a construction worker. He had worked on a project at the same Blimpie’s she worked at last summer. Investigators say they believe he was homeless and lived on and off naval bases, but frequently visited the restaurant and nearby businesses. Billie’s coworkers say Brown would flirt with Billie and make sexual remarks toward her.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: FBI continues to search for clues after teen's body found behind church

Brown's DNA was found Billie's clothing. After checking Brown’s phone records, officers say he looked up several news articles about the case on several Charlotte and Norfolk news websites.

Documents say that during an interview with investigators, Brown confessed to kidnapping Billie, but not killing her. He told officers he did not remember what happened after that.

Brown faces a penalty of life in prison if convicted on the kidnapping charges. He also faces additional charges including murder from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Several agencies were involved with the investigation of this case including the FBI, Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department and the Virginia Beach Police Department. 

Brown is in custody in Norfolk, Virgina.