Hazleton Police brought Terence Ray, a man suspected of killing a Frackville woman and burning her body, before a judge today.
Ray, 55, is charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse for the murder of Jessica Lockwood, 39. Police believe Ray beat and shot Lockwood at his Hazelton home before leaving her burning body on the side of Club 40 Road last month.
Police found at Ray’s home a pool of blood and Lockwood’s gold-colored stud earring that was missing from her body, according to a press release from the Luzerne County District Attorney’s office.
The DA’s office reports Hazleton City detectives and Luzerne County detectives this morning picked up Ray from Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, New York where he waived extradition last week. Ray was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge James Dixon.
Ray was denied bail and is being held at the Luzerne County Prison. His preliminary hearing is set for May 30 at 9 a.m. at the Luzerne County Central Court.
The Hazleton Police Department asks anyone with information on the case to call the detectives’ tip line at 570-450-2080 or contact them through the city’s Crime Watch page.
— Isabela Weiss