Overland Park police: Murder suspect thought victim was a zombie

A man charged with killing an Overland Park woman last month told police he thought she was a zombie, according to court documents released Wednesday.

Christopher Duane Wallace is charged in Johnson County District Court with first-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Jennifer Lopez.

On Jan. 18, according to the documents, Wallace called 911 and told dispatchers that he had been high on “meth” and had beaten his roommate to death.

When Overland Park police arrived at the apartment in the 6100 block of Foster Street, they found Lopez with “significant” head injuries, according to the affidavit prepared by police.

Wallace, 37, still was there. Police took him into custody.

When he called 911, Wallace told dispatchers he was no longer hallucinating and “was coming down from a high,” the documents said.

Later, when questioned by detectives, they noted Wallace appeared to be “clear thinking.”

According to the documents, Wallace told them that he had used methamphetamine earlier in the day after getting in a fight with a girlfriend who lives in Kansas City. A friend gave him a ride to the Overland Park apartment.

He said that he fell asleep. When Lopez woke him up, he thought she was a zombie and began beating her.

“He kept hitting her until something made him stop,” police wrote in the affidavit.

Wallace also told officers that he thought he had taken some “bad meth.” He also asked if they were real cops and not the cartel.

An autopsy determined that Lopez had been beaten and strangled.

Wallace’s next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 25. His bond is set at $1 million. He is being held in the Johnson County jail.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Overland Park police: Murder suspect thought victim was a zombie."