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Teaneck Stabbing Suspect Arrested In Florida Before Escaping To Colombia

TEANECK, NJ (AP) - Customs agents in Florida arrested a suspect in a fatal New Jersey stabbing minutes before his flight took off for Colombia.

Authorities found Pedro Guittierez had flown from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Orlando on Tuesday.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli told The Record newspaper the 24-year-old's flight to Bogota, Columbia, was minutes from takeoff when he was placed into custody and charged with murder on Tuesday evening.

Guittierez is accused of stabbing his estranged companion to death in her Teaneck home. Shaday Betancourt's brother found the 23-year-old and drove her body to a hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

The suspect and the victim were from Colombia.

Officials are awaiting word on Wednesday whether Guittierez would waive extradition.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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