A man from New Jersey is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of his girlfriend, whose body was found in a refrigerator that had been dumped in the woods of New Jersey the previous year. Christopher Blevins, 45, hailing from Runnemede, was apprehended on a beach in San Diego on January 13 after fleeing to Mexico. He has been formally accused of the murder of Laura Hughes, 50, and has been extradited back to New Jersey to face charges. In addition to the murder charge, which was filed by the Camden County prosecutor’s office, further charges were brought against Blevins in Cape May County on January 3 when he was still evading capture. These additional charges included second-degree desecration of human remains and third-degree hindering apprehension.
Laura Hughes, a mother of two daughters aged 18 and 13 from a previous relationship, was discovered deceased inside the refrigerator in Belleplain State Forest in Cape May County on December 22. The refrigerator was found wrapped in a sleeping bag, covered in carpet, and secured with blue ratchet straps, as detailed in an affidavit. Initially, a photo depicting the unique tattoos on the body was released by authorities prior to the official identification of Hughes. The father of Hughes’ daughters, Cornel Alston, was notified on December 30 that the remains found belonged to Hughes.
According to investigators, Blevins is believed to have disposed of Hughes’ body in the refrigerator in the forest during July before absconding to Mexico. A green pickup truck associated with Blevins was sighted transporting an object resembling a refrigerator in late July. Reports suggest that the couple had a history of domestic violence. Blevins resided in Mexico for a prolonged period before disclosing to Mexican authorities in Mexico City on August 27 that he had fled the United States due to a violent altercation in Runnemede, hinting that he may have been involved in a fatal confrontation during a bar fight. The circumstances surrounding his apprehension in Ocean Beach near San Diego indicate that he was observed by law enforcement officers along with another individual attempting to extinguish flames on the beach by kicking sand. Subsequently, Blevins provided a counterfeit identification, leading to his arrest. Upon further inspection, a warrant linked to the murder case was discovered, ultimately leading to his detention.
