Woman accused of leaving son's body in suitcase in Indiana to stand trial in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A woman accused of killing her son and leaving his body in a suitcase three years ago was set to stand trial in southern Indiana next year, but that case was dismissed and her trial was moved to Louisville.

Washington County Prosecutor Tara Coats Hunt announced the update in a Dec. 9 Facebook post:

According to the post, a Jefferson County, Kentucky, grand jury returned an indictment Dec. 8 against Dejuane Anderson in the homicide case involving the death of 5-year-old Cairo Jordan. She's now facing charges of murder, manslaughter, criminal abuse and abuse of a corpse. She'll appear in court Dec. 15, and a judge already set a $500,000 bond.

Anderson was charged after a mushroom hunter found 5-year-old Jordan's body stuffed in a suitcase in rural Washington County, Ind., in 2022. Her trial was originally scheduled for October 2025 in Washington County, but was moved to Jan. 6, 2026.

Anderson was arrested in California on March 15, 2024, after two years on the run. During a subsequent court appearance, she claimed her name was "Princess" and the U.S. Space Force was following her.

Anderson was committed to a psychiatric facility in August 2024 and eventually found fit to stand trial.

Dawn Coleman mugshot — Pictured: this image dated Nov. 20, 2022, provided by the jail in Washington County, Ind., shows the booking photo for Dawn Coleman.

Another woman charged in Cairo's murder — Dawn Coleman, of Shreveport, Louisiana — pleaded guilty to aiding, inducing or causing murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and obstruction of justice. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with five years suspended to probation.

The venue change was granted after Hunt requested Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers review the investigation into Cairo’s murder and consider presenting the case to a Grand Jury. Anderson will now be prosecuted by Whethers and her office.

Hunt's post said the complex case involves facts and evidence spanning both Indiana and Kentucky, and she decided to move the case to Jefferson County for a better chance of conviction.

"Although Washington County has been fully prepared to prosecute this case, shifting jurisdiction ensures the strongest legal foundation and prevents any future appellate ruling from overturning a conviction due to a technicality," she wrote.

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