A man from New Jersey has been charged after a woman’s body was found last month inside a refrigerator left in a forest, according to multiple reports.
New Jersey State Police discovered human remains in a refrigerator on December 22 in Belleplain State Forest, Cape May County. They asked the public for help identifying the woman by sharing pictures of her tattoos. The body was found around 3 p.m. in Dennis Township... Continue reading here ▶
Christopher Blevins, 45, has been charged with desecrating human remains and hindering apprehension.
Authorities believe he transported the refrigerator to the forest in July before fleeing to Mexico, as detailed in court documents obtained by news outlets.
The victim was identified as Laura Hughes, 50, who was reportedly in a relationship with Blevins. No one has been charged with causing her death.
Blevins allegedly fled to Mexico in August, crossing the border through Brownsville, Texas. He stayed in hiding for several weeks before turning himself in to authorities in Mexico City on August 27.
Blevins reportedly told officials he fled the U.S. after “panicking” over a violent incident in Runnemede, claiming he may have killed someone in a bar fight.
According to investigators, the refrigerator was wrapped in a sleeping bag, covered in carpet, and secured with blue ratchet straps. Surveillance footage showed Blevins’ green pickup truck carrying a refrigerator-shaped object in late July. When police searched the couple’s shared home, they found blue ratchet straps and a calendar marking days leading up to July 24.
Reports also mention a history of domestic violence between Blevins and Hughes. Additionally, a 46-year-old man was charged with obstruction and failing to be fingerprinted after admitting he took items from the refrigerator before discovering the body the next day. He has since been released.
A GoFundMe has been launched to support Hughes’ family and honor her memory. The fundraiser states that Hughes’ former partner and father of her two children, Cornel Alston, learned on December 30 that the remains belonged to her. Hughes’ daughters, aged 18 and 13, are now facing a difficult journey.
The GoFundMe aims to raise $10,000 for cremation expenses, planting a memorial tree, and supporting the girls’ education and school needs. As of Saturday, nearly $2,000 has been raised. The campaign reads, “This unimaginable loss has left Cornel’s daughters facing a difficult journey filled with grief and a whole lot of uncertainty.”
