Boyfriend of woman found in fridge charged after running away: reports

A New Jersey man has been charged after a woman’s body was found in a refrigerator left in the woods last month, multiple sources said.

As reported earlier, in New Jersey State Police alerted the public to human remains found in a refrigerator Dec. 22 in Cape May County’s Belleplaine State Forest — asking for help in identification of a woman sharing a look at his tattoos.

There was a body discovered by paratroopers shortly before 3:00 p.m. in the woods in the town of Dennis.

Christopher Blevins, 45, has since been charged with desecration of human remains and hindering apprehension after authorities said they believe he moved the cooler to Belleplaine State Forest in July before fleeing to Mexico, according to an affidavit of probable cause for his arrest, received NJ.com and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The woman has since been identified as 50-year-old Laura Hughes, who media reports say was in a relationship with Blevins. No one has reportedly been charged in her death.

A spokesman for the New Jersey State Police did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, Jan. 11.

According to the questioner NJ.com and CBS NewsBlevins fled to Mexico in August. He crossed the border through Brownsville, Texas, and was “in hiding” for several weeks, according to the The questionerbefore telling authorities in Mexico City on August 27 that he had left the US after “panicking” following a violent incident in Runnemede, potentially killing someone during a bar fight.

According to The questionerwhich cites the affidavit, the cooler was found wrapped in a sleeping bag, covered with carpet and secured with blue ratchet straps. Blevins’ green pickup truck was spotted with a refrigerator-shaped object in the back in late July, according to license plate readers, CBS News reported. The questioner and WPVI-TV.

During a search of the couple’s shared home, police later found blue ratchet straps and a calendar with the days until July 24 marked with an “x” The questioner. The The questioner and CBS News said the couple had a history of domestic violence.

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Blevins’ charges came after the 46-year-old man was charged with fourth-degree obstruction and failure to provide fingerprints after he told police he took property from a cooler in the woods before returning the next day to find the woman’s remains, the New -Jersey. .com. He was released at the end of last month.

AND GoFundMe has since been started on behalf of the Hughes family to “honor Laura’s memory and find some peace in the midst of this tragedy.” Cornell Alston, the father of her two children, was told on December 30 that the remains found belonged to Hughes. Her daughters are 18 and 13 years old.

“This incredible loss has forced Cornell’s daughters to face a difficult journey filled with grief and much uncertainty. We are raising funds to help with cremation costs and to plant a tree in her memory as an eternal tribute to her love,” reads the benefactor. “Any funds left over will go towards supporting the girls’ education and school needs to ensure they have the resources they need at this difficult time.”

The campaign has since raised nearly $2,000 of its $10,000 goal by Saturday.