Investigators have arrested five people they say tortured and killed a Michigan woman inside a Wilkes-Barre home last year.
Nicole Cuevas-Ingram's badly decomposed body was discovered buried in the dirt floor beneath 142 Carlisle St. on Feb. 28. Her remains were wrapped in a tarp, tied with electrical cords and rope.
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said Tuesday that evidence revealed Cuevas-Ingram, 38, had been handcuffed to a post and other fixtures, and she was beaten, stabbed, slashed, kicked, stomped and finally strangled. The torture lasted weeks, the DA said.
Cuevas-Ingram, from Saginaw, Mich., traveled to Wilkes-Barre in early 2023 with one of the people charged in her death, "believing that they were friends," Sanguedolce said, but things "quickly turned sour."
"I think she came just really for a visit and tried to get home, but was unsuccessful in that endeavor," the DA added.
Police affidavits filed in the case allege that several of the defendants were using crack cocaine in April 2023 when the beatings and killing took place.
Sanguedolce said investigation continues into the deaths of Cuevas-Ingram and the former homeowner, Debra Fox, whose remains were found along the North Cross Valley Expressway last month.
Investigators in March said they believed second body was related to the Carlisle Street case, but Tuesday's press conference at Wilkes-Barre Police headquarters marked the first time names of the two victims were made public.
Sanguedolce said he couldn't yet reveal more about Fox's death, including how investigators believe her body ended up near the expressway.
The individuals charged in Cuevas-Ingram's death have not been charged in connection with Fox's death. She owned the home at the time of the killing, but lost it to foreclosure in January of this year, which was around the last time she was seen, the DA noted. That also is when the people living in the home had to leave the residence.
Sanguedolce said it is not believed that Fox was involved in the torture of Cuevas-Ingram.
"Of course, the fact that these arrests were made today does not mean that the investigation has concluded," Sanguedolce said.
Charged in Cuevas-Ingram's death are:
- Faith Beamer, 39, Wilkes-Barre,
- Desiree Linnette, 43, Edwardsville,
- Sarai Doyle, 24, Edwardsville,
- Jason Race, 43, Kingston,
- William Wolfe, 54, of Wilkes-Barre.
Each defendant was charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, aggravated assault and abuse of corpse.
The five defendants were arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Richard Cronauer, then remanded to separate correctional facilities around the state to await further proceedings.
Sanguedolce praised "the tireless work" of city police and members of his office, who he said had to sort out "a lot of false statements."
"I credit them with corroborating statements of witnesses, not all of whom were truthful at all times," the DA said.
WVIA will bring you more details on this case in the days to come.
