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The body of 41-year-old Crystal (Camargo) Peterson was found shortly before 7:30 p.m. Sunday in a cafeteria area at Konica Minolta's headquarters just off Route 17 near the Rockland County border, sources with direct knowledge of the homicide said.
She'd been shot in the head, they said.
Charged with murder and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose was Luis Suarez, a 41-year-old chef with whom they said Peterson had young children.
Ramsey police rushed to the company campus after a third party in Montclair called and said that Suarez had killed Peterson and appeared intent on taking his own life.
Police from surrounding towns, along with Bergen County sheriff's officers and New Jersey State Police, quickly flooded the area and helped establish a perimeter.
K9 units were summoned, the complex was searched, and a manhunt for the 5-foot-10-inch, 265-pound Suarez was launched. He was driving a red 2018 Nissan Altima, authorities said.
The alert was canceled when word of Suarez's surrender more than 20 miles south in Montclair came around 9 p.m.
Suarez was then turned over to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.
He was charged, booked into the Bergen County Jail and remained held there on New Year's Day pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella confirmed the shooting and arrest shortly before 2 p.m. Jan. 1.
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