A Runnemede man has been arrested and charged for the murder of his girlfriend after her remains were recovered in an abandoned refrigerator in Belleplain State Forest in December of last year.
According to law enforcement officials in Camden County, Christopher Blevins, 45, has been charged with first degree murder in the slaying of his girlfriend, 50-year-old Laura Hughes of Runnemede.
Blevins was initially charged with desecration of human remains and hindering apprehension in January and was captured in California, after, officials said, he turned himself in to police in Mexico City, Mexico.
When he turned himself in, officials said, he allegedly told officers that he was involved in a "violent incident" in Runnemede, NJ, before he came to Mexico and he "may have killed someone in a bar fight."
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Officials said Blevins became a suspect in this case after Hughes' remains were found inside a refrigerator in Belleplain State Forest in Cape May County on Dec. 22, 2024.
After her remains were discovered, police released images of her tattoos in an attempt to identify the body.
According to police officials, a follow up investigation found that cameras in New Jersey captured Blevins' green Dodge Ram transporting, what looked to be, a refrigerator, in August just a few days before he fled to Mexico.
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Blevins, police officials said, turned himself into police in Mexico City a few weeks later and, allegedly, told officers there that he was involved in a "violent incident" in Runnemede, NJ, before he came to Mexico and he "may have killed someone in a bar fight."
“The pursuit of justice demands unwavering commitment, and this case exemplifies the dedication of
every agency involved,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police in a statement on the new charges. "While nothing can ever undo the pain of this tragic loss, we hope this outcome brings some measure of peace to her family and all who cared for her. This case is a powerful reminder that no challenge is too great when agencies unite with a shared mission—to stand for victims and their families, ensuring their voices are never forgotten."
Also, officials said, another man, John Tyrrell, who police claim found Hughes' remains, is facing charges in this case. Police officials said Tyrrell did not turn his cell phone over to the police.
Blevins is currently being held in a California correctional facility and is awaiting extradition to New Jersey, officials said.
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