Charges have been upgraded for the man accused of murdering a Lawrence, Massachusetts, woman, and now he's appearing in court for those new charges.
Lawrence police say Christian Montero's physical location matched up with location data from Carol Flaz-Burgos' cell phone, but this was after she disappeared. That's when investigators started to connect some concerning dots.
Montero was Flaz-Burgos' neighbor but beyond that, it's unclear whether the two had a friendship or relationship.
Montero, 35, allegedly misled investigators about where he was in the time frame of Flaz-Burgos' disappearance.
Flaz-Burgos was last seen on surveillance camera days earlier while entering Montero's apartment in the building where she lived with her children and mother, prosecutors previously said in court.
She made "the sign of the cross when she entered," an assistant Essex County district attorney said, but was never seen exiting.
Prosecutors said that, in two different interviews, he said he drove to a barbershop, parking on Trenton Street, but never went in because he was feeling sick. But city cameras showed he didn't park on Trenton Street at the time, and data from his cellphone allegedly shows him in Haverhill when he said he was parked in Lawrence.
Flaz-Burgos was found dead in the Kenoza Lake Conservation Area a week ago.
Her family and neighbors had been searching for Flaz-Burgos for days. Even with Montero behind bars right now, they are still looking over their shoulders.
"I don't feel safe at all. It's scary because you think you know your neighbor but truly you really don't know what's going on within your own building, and to hear all the stories about the cameras and the security here, like what's the point?" said Darlysha Ortega, victim's neighbor.
The Essex County district attorney had previously said murder charges were expected in the death of Flaz-Burgos, pending the completion of an autopsy. That autopsy was completed, and Montero, who was previously charged with witness intimidation, has now been charged with murder, authorities said.
He will be arraignment in Lawrence District Court Wednesday afternoon.
