CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say 35-year-old Jamuel Alston had a woman in his apartment for nine days.

CMPD detailed how they found her after her family reported her missing back on March 26.

"We have our missing persons team go and do the dirty work, make the phone calls, make the connections to see, make sure they're not in the hospital," lieutenant Susan Manassah says.

Police say both homicide as well missing person's detectives were working the case and found out that the first suspect’s name was “Jay.” Manassah says investigators figured out a possible address for him and decided to knock.

"Our homicide sergeant made a decision, after doing some surveillance, and guess what, “Jay” answers the door," she says.

What followed was carefully chosen language. They didn't have a warrant, nor probable cause. The conversation led to horrific, yet heartwarming discovery.

"They start saying her name, all of a sudden we can hear her and we go in there and we find her," she says.

Beaten savagely and raped, her injuries were extensive. At the hands, CMPD officials say, by someone the victim had recently started dating.

"At least tell your family members, first name, last name, phone number, Facebook name," she advises. “I get that you might want to have this person meet grandma, but we still might want to have some data behind who it is we're dating"