Police investigating whether body of woman found in Philadelphia is missing New York mom
A New York mother of five who went missing last week may have been found dead by Philadelphia police.
A multi-state hunt has been underway for the past nine days for Vianela Tavera, 50, who left her home in the Bronx on July 28 for a trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tavera was soon reported missing by her family.
New York ABC station WABC reported that she was visiting the city to meet her alleged boyfriend, 38-year-old Luis Negron-Martinez.
On Sunday night, police found a woman's body in the basement of a house they said is linked to Negron-Martinez in Philadelphia. Philadelphia police told ABC News that the body is at the city medical examiner's office and that it remains unclear whether or not the corpse is that of Tavera.
Negron-Martinez was arrested by police in Virginia on August 3, six days after Tavera went missing, when Fairfax County Police answered a call about a man in an SUV who was possibly in need of medical attention.
The man was Negron-Martinez, and the SUV was Tavera's, Fairfax County Police wrote in a statement, adding that a handgun was found in the vehicle.
Negron-Martinez is being held on charges of grand larceny and possession of a concealed weapon.
"We believe she made it to her destination, but also believe she may have been harmed," the statement said.
