Suspect Arrested In Connection To Vanessa Marcotte Murder Case
MILLBURY, Mass (CBSNewYork/CBS News/CBS Boston/AP) -- Officials in Massachusetts announced Saturday an arrest has been made in connection to the murder of 27-year-old Vanessa Marcotte.
The New York City Google employee was visiting her mother in Princeton, Massachusetts when she went jogging on the afternoon of Aug. 7, 2016. Her body was found naked and burned the following day just a half mile away from her mother's home.
The suspect, 31-year-old Angelo Colon-Ortiz, was being held at the state police barracks in Millbury, Massachusetts, and will be arraigned on Tuesday according to investigators.
Authorities investigating Marcotte's death announced in February they had a DNA profile of a person of interest, described as a 30-year-old Hispanic or Latino man with an athletic build and very short hair.
Investigators were able to get a DNA profile of Marcotte's killer from her hands, due to how hard she fought back against her killer, WCBS 880's Mike Smeltz reported.
On Friday, Massachusetts State Police found a match for that DNA, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joe Early, Jr.
Officials held a press conference Saturday afternoon to discuss the arrest.
"We got him," Early said amid cheers from onlookers. "He was picked up at his residence in Worcester late Friday with the assistance of the Worcester Police Department. He was interviewed, and subsequently placed under arrest."
Investigators believe the Colon-Ortiz had been working in the area around the time of Marcotte's disappearance and death.
Colon-Ortiz has been charged with aggravated assault and battery, and assault with intent to rape. When asked why there hadn't been any murder charges levied against the suspect, Early said that part of the investigation "is still being actively worked."
"I anticipate there will be a murder charge," he later said.
Law enforcement agencies have said they've received more than 1,300 tips relating to the case.
Marcotte's murder was part of a string of female jogger deaths in the summer of 2016, including the killing of 30-year-old Howard Beach jogger Katrina Vetrano.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
