Norelis Mendoza.Photo: Norelis Mendoza/facebook
Gregory Mallard, 35, of Jersey City, has been charged with first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, failing to dispose of human remains and other related offenses in connection with the death of 32-year-old Norelis Mendoza, according to a press release from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Details regarding Mallard’s May 19 arrest remained scarce, but the prosecutor’s office says the case is being investigated “as an act of domestic violence.” Mallard is being held in Somerset County.
Mendoza, of Lindenwold, was found May 17 off Route 440 in Bayonne, near the Jersey City border, the prosecutor’s office previously said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the regional medical examiner’s office.
Mendoza was last seen alive in Jersey City on May 13, when she reportedly left her mother’s house and did not return phone calls, according toNBC 10 Philadelphia.
“It’s devastating because of the amount of time, especially. … That gave four days of agony, meaning that we had no idea where Norelis could possibly be,” the victim’s cousin, Giovanni Molina, told the outlet.
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AGoFundMe pagehas been created for Mendoza’s family, who now have the responsibility of taking care of her two surviving daughters, ages 1 and 3.
“She was a beacon of light and would help anyone she could,” the fundraiser reads. “We are left with her beautiful daughters and will raise them with her legacy of love and kindness.”
Mallard is being held in Somerset County, according to the prosecutor’s office. It’s unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Prosecutors say the investigation remains active and ongoing.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
