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Plainfield's Oscar E. Rodriguez, 24, is facing charges of first-degree murder and second-degree desecration of human remains in connection with the death of David Chacon, 42, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said.
Police responding to reports of human remains found Chacon's charred body at an outdoor area near the 800 block of West Front Street, said Union County Assistant Prosecutor Peter Benza, who is prosecuting the case.
An investigation led by the Union County Homicide Task Force and assisted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit and Plainfield Police Department resulted in the identification of the victim using DNA evidence, and also resulted in Rodriguez being developed as a suspect.
Rodriguez was criminally charged in February and recently arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing in Texas, authorities said.
He was extradited back to New Jersey last week.
During a hearing held Monday in Union County Superior Court, Rodriguez was ordered to remain in custody pending the adjudication of the case.
Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Sgt. Christopher Scuorzo at 908-472-0492 or Detective Ryan Kirsh at 908-347-1420.
Convictions on crimes of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.
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