LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - A Lawrence man who was already charged in connection with the death of a 37-year-old mother of two is now facing a murder charge, a spokesperson for the Essex County District Attorney’s Office said.
Christian Montero, 35, was previously arraigned on charges of witness intimidation and misleading an investigation.
Montero is now expected to face a judge again on Wednesday after a medical examiner completed an autopsy of 37-year-old Carol Flaz-Burgos, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s chief of communications, Michael Keefe-Feldman.
Police said Flaz-Burgos was last seen leaving her apartment on Aug. 31 on Broadway in Lawrence.
Flaz-Burgos’ son reported her missing later in the day, prompting a wide-ranging search. Authorities found Flaz-Burgos’ body in Haverhill on Sept. 3 and soon announced Montero’s arrest.
Speaking in court at Montero’’s first arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Fleet said Flaz-Burgos and Montero were neighbors. On the morning she disappeared, Fleet said surveillance video showed Flaz-Burgos entering Montero’s apartment.
Flaz-Burgos was never seen leaving the apartment. Fleet said video showed Montero eventually exiting with a beach cart, though.
7NEWS sources said officials believed Flaz-Burgos’ body was also in the beach cart.
Though he was not immediately charged with murder, District Attorney Paul Tucker said prosecutors might add the charge once they received the results of Flaz-Burgos’ autopsy.
Now with autopsy results in hand, the prosecution is expected to preview its murder case against Montero beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Family members were in attendance at Monetro’s initial arraignment.
Asked outside Lawrence District Court, Montero’s attorney said he could not comment on the case.
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