LAWRENCE, Mass. — A man previously arrested for allegedly misleading police on an investigation into the death of a missing Lawrence mother is now being held without bail on a charge of murder.
Christian Montero, 35, of Lawrence, was arraigned Wednesday in Lawrence District Court on the upgraded charge of murder in connection with the death of 37-year-old Carol Flaz-Burgos, whose body was found last week near Kenoza Lake in Haverhill’s Winnikenni conservation area, according to the Essex District Attorney’s Office.
The DA’s office brought the murder charge against Montero following the results of a medical examiner’s autopsy. Last week, Montero was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty to charges of witness intimidation and misleading investigators.
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Flaz-Burgos’ body was found on Sept. 3 by a specially trained K9, three days after the mother of two vanished from her apartment building. Authorities said Montero and Flaz-Burgos lived near each other in the same building but didn’t elaborate on how or if the two knew each other.
An investigation into Flaz-Burgos’ whereabouts was launched on Aug. 31 after a 911 caller reported calling her phone several times with each attempt going to voicemail, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Fleet said during Montero’s initial arraignment.
When police arrived at Flaz-Burgos’ apartment, they found her keys, purse, and wallet on a dresser but there was no sign of her, according to Fleet.
Fleet told the court that Flaz-Burgos was last seen walking just a couple of doors down to Montero’s apartment. Flaz-Burgos was texting and spotted on surveillance video “making the sign of the cross” before she entered, Fleet said.
Flaz-Burgos was never seen again on the surveillance video but Montero was spotted about two hours later pulling a beach wagon that appeared to be filled with clothing, according to Fleet. At about the same time, cellular data showed Flaz-Burgos’ phone moving away from the apartment building on Broadway and toward Haverhill, Fleet added.
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In conversations with police, Fleet alleged that Montero misled investigators by feeding them a fake alibi. Cellular data later reportedly showed his phone location in Haverhill, not on Trenton Street in Lawrence where he claimed to be.
“Officers from many different agencies including the Lawrence Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Haverhill Police Department, and Methuen Police Department have spent numerous hours trying to confirm or dispel the defendant’s alibi,” Fleet told the Court. “This false information that he provided to the investigators did mislead the investigators.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, Fleet asked the court to impound a police report that has not yet been made public.
Montero’s case is slated to return to court on Oct. 16 for a probable cause hearing.
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