LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - LAWRENCE, MA (WHDH) – The teen accused in the brutal murder of Lawrence 16-year-old Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino will face a judge on Monday.
Police arrested a 15-year-old teen suspect who was a classmate of Viloria-Paulino on Saturday, charging him with murder.
Police paperwork says the 15-year-old suspect went with Viloria-Paulino one night to smoke marijuana by the Merrimack River. The documents say the suspect informed a friend he “stabbed a kid and cut his head off.”
Viloria-Paulino’s body was found Thursday by a woman walking her dog. Police said his head was found nearby, with multiple stab wounds and hands missing.
Viloria-Paulino had been missing for about two weeks before his body was found.
The family of Viloria-Paulino is devastated, demanding answers not only from the murder suspect but from police who they say failed to respond properly when they reported Viloria-Paulino as missing weeks ago. Christine Muchaud, Viloria-Paulino’s aunt, said the family continues to seek justice in the brutal murder of her nephew.
“We begged them please, please look for him. ‘No, he’s just a runaway, we feel safe he’s safe in somebody’s house,'” Muchaid said the police told the family.
The Lawrence District Attorney promised to do all in his power to “secure justice” for the family.
A vigil was held Friday night at Lawrence High School, where the suspect and victim were both sophomores.
“I hope he knows that he was loved, he was cared for by a lot of people,” said April Aguayo.
An official cause of death has yet to be announced.
“The family is devastated. You can only imagine that this family is shattered,” said family spokesperson Linette Perez.
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