Crime & Safety

County Investigates Body Parts Found in Linden

County officials have identified the two bodies found in Linden.

UPDATE (April 7, 4:45 p.m.): The dismembered bodies have been identified as Lazaro Calero, 49, and Maria Torres, 48. Torres had a last known address on 4th Street in Union City, Hudson County. It appears that Calero rented a room at the same address. Notifications to both families were completed on late Wednesday, said Romankow.

The Union County Homicide Task Force is investigating the discovery of human remains found on a residential street in Linden on April 5.

The medical examiner has determined that body parts found inside of trash bags near the intersection of Essex and Cranford avenues were from two bodies. In a statement released on Tuesday, April 6, Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said the bodies have been identified. The identities are being withheld pending notification of the victims' families. 

The victims were discovered shortly before 10 am on Monday by a Linden sanitation worker and a Linden Police officer after a neighbor reported illegally dumped trash.

An autopsy was performed on Monday evening, Romankow said in a statement. The medical examiner has not yet determined how long the pair had been dead when they were discovered. Authorities do not yet know how long the bags were on the curb or why the bodies were left in Linden.

County officials ask that anyone with information about to this case call Union County Crime Stoppers at (908) 527-4621. All calls are kept anonymous and confidential.

Last November, Union County police began an investigation into a body found in Springfield near the Union border.  The matter was turned over to state police forensic anthropologist. 

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