Authorities say a 53-year-old man wanted for the murder of a woman in Lawrence has been taken into custody.
The Essex District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday that Santana Guerrero Temporo was arrested in Texas on a Fugitive from Justice charge.
According to the DA’s office, Temporo was wanted for the Dec. 25 murder of Diosmary Mejia, 21, who was found dead after police were called to a basement apartment on Salem Street in Lawrence for a well-being check earlier in the week.
Family members said Mejia had been living in Lawrence for roughly one year after immigrating to the US from the Dominican Republic. She had two children back in the Dominican Republic and was working to send money back to them.
Family members told 7NEWS they believed Mejia was trying to leave a troubled relationship at the time of her murder.
“Maybe she wanted to leave him,” the victim’s former stepmother Nelly Perez told 7NEWS on Tuesday. “Because, her suitcase was already packed with all her clothes.”
Speaking with 7NEWS again on Friday, family members of the victim said they knew very little about Temporo, other than that he was dating Mejia. They said they also had expressed concerns to her about the relationship due to the age difference between the two.
Her family said they believe Temporo was likely trying to flee to Mexico when he was caught in Texas. Now, they want justice for their loved one.
“I don’t want him to get out of jail – never,” Perez said on Friday. “… for the rest of his life – in jail.”
Additional details on Temporo, including how he got to Texas, have not yet been released by officials.
The DA’s office stated that the 53-year-old was expected to be arraigned sometime next week on the aforementioned Fugitive from Justice charge.
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