Man to be arraigned on charges in connection with death of missing Lawrence mother

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A man arrested on charges in connection with the death of a missing Lawrence mother is slated to face a judge on Wednesday.

Cristian Monterro, 35, will be arraigned on charges of witness intimidation and misleading investigators in the death of 37-year-old Carol Flaz, whose body was found Tuesday near Kenoza Lake in Haverhill’s Winnikenni conservation area, according to Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker.

Flaz’s body was found by a specially trained K9, three days after the mother of two vanished from her apartment building.

“This was essentially an around-the-clock effort to locate Carol Flaz,” Tucker told reporters at a late-night news conference.

Authorities said Monterro lives in the same building as Flaz but didn’t elaborate on how or if the two knew each other.

Lawrence community advocate Julissa Nunez told Boston 25 News that Flaz was last seen knocking on a neighbor’s door around 7 a.m. Saturday at her apartment building at 590 Broadway. Nunez said there are security cameras throughout the building.

Investigators wouldn’t discuss what information led them to the area near Kenoza Lake on Tuesday but said they questioned Monterro the same day.

“It’s not a murder charge, yet,” Tucker stressed in the news conference. “He’s in custody on a charge of witness intimidation and a charge of misleading an investigation. We expect over the next couple of days, when the medical examiner completes their autopsy, that those charges will be upgraded to murder.”

Tucker said more details on the case and Monterro’s arrest would be shared Wednesday morning when Monterro faces court arraignment.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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