Clockwise from the left: Sign for Belleplain State Forest (Belleplain State Forest, NJ), Laura Hughes (GoFundMe), and composite sketch of tattoos on the body found in a refrigerator in December 2024 (NJ State Police).
In New Jersey, a 45-year-old man was taken into custody after authorities found his girlfriend’s decaying body inside a refrigerator. The refrigerator had been brought to a state park forest and left there.
According to records examined by Law&Crime, Christopher Blevins has been charged with desecrating human remains and obstructing apprehension in the case involving Laura Hughes, aged 50. Following the discovery of Hughes’ body in Belleplain State Forest on December 22, 2024, the New Jersey State Police requested public assistance to identify the woman. This information is detailed in a recently disclosed probable cause affidavit acquired by NJ Advance Media.
Authorities said the two had a “history of domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse.”
In a Facebook post, state police provided a description of the woman later identified as Hughes.
“The remains are believed to belong to a Caucasian or Hispanic female, approximately 5’1″ tall,” the release stated. “The individual had two tattoos (pictured): a koi fish tattoo on the upper right portion of her back (shoulder blade area) and a rose tattoo on her left ribs, extending from her chest to her hip. Additionally, a distinctive yoga mat and necklace (both pictured) were recovered at the scene.”
According to a report from Breaking AC, Blevins on Aug. 2, 2024, fled south through Texas and crossed into Mexico. He was arrested after turning himself in to Mexican law enforcement authorities on Aug. 27, 2024. Following his arrest, Blevins allegedly told authorities that he fled because he “panicked” after “being involved in a violent incident” in New Jersey. He reportedly claimed that he may have killed another person during a “bar fight.”
The affidavit reportedly alleges that Blevins brought the refrigerator containing Hughes’ body into the forest on July 24, 2024. Authorities said they obtained photographs from license plate readers of him driving his green Dodge Ram pickup truck to transport “a refrigerator-shaped object on two separate days before he fled the United States.”
That truck, which police said was “solely operated” by Blevins, crossed into Mexico on Aug. 2, 2024.
While no one had been charged with causing Hughes’ death as of Friday afternoon, Blevins was not the only person arrested in connection with the case. John Tyrrell, a 46-year-old man who was hiking in the state park and discovered Hughes’ body, was also arrested and charged with hindering offenses after he allegedly refused to let police fingerprint him or provide the code to his cellphone after a court order issued him to do so, according to local news website Breaking AC.
“Due to the fact that the cell phone of Tyrrell is believed to contain evidence associated with the crime, Tyrrell was brought to the New Jersey State Police Woodbine Station, where he was ordered to turn over his cell phone pending a search warrant,” the affidavit states, according to Breaking AC. “Tyrrell refused to turn his phone over at which point he was arrested for obstruction.”
A GoFundMe page for Hughes states that she was the mother of two daughters, ages 13 and 18.
“This unimaginable loss has left [the] daughters facing a difficult journey filled with grief and a whole lot of uncertainty,” the page states. “We are raising funds to assist with the cremation expenses and to plant a tree in her memory, providing a lasting tribute to her love. Any remaining funds will be directed toward supporting the girls education and school needs, ensuring they have the resources they need during this challenging time.”
