Police: Camden Woman Was Buried Alive; 2 Suspects Charged With Murder
By Todd Quinones
CAMDEN (CBS) -- The Camden County Prosecutor's Office has charged two men with murder in the death of a mother from Camden.
Carlos Alicea-Antonetti, 36, of Camden, and Ramon Ortiz, 57, of Pennsauken, are both accused of murdering 41-year-old Fatima Perez.
Despite her plea for help, prosecutors say the two alleged killers showed no mercy, and instead buried her alive.
Fatima Perez spent her last breaths buried in a shallow grave in Monroe Township.
On Thursday the two men prosecutors say put her there were in court.
Carlos Alicea-Antonetti and Ramón Ortiz were arraigned on murder charges.
Perez's family members sobbed as the prosecutor described the two men's confessions.
"Alicea-Antonetti admitted to detectives they put Ms. Perez in the hole that they poured lime on her and they buried her. He advised detectives she was still alive when they buried her," Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah said.
According to law enforcement thanks to a tip the two men were found hiding out at the Express Inn in Cherry Hill early Wednesday morning.
On Monday the 41-year-old mother of two had $8,000 cash and went with Alicea-Antonetti who is known to the family to buy a car.
Police allege Alicea-Antonetti picked up Ortiz and Perez was tied up in the back of the van.
"Ortiz told detectives Ms. Perez asked him to help her," Shah said.
As they left court Thursday Perez's family did not comment, but the night before her sister described the family's pain.
"If my sister had to fight for her life, the reason she was fighting for was her kids," her sister Vanessa Castro said.
Police indicate when they found more than $7,000 cash on Alicea-Antonetti when they caught him.
Bail for Alicea-Antonetti and Ortiz has been set at $5 million each.
If convicted, both men could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Perez leaves behind a seven-year-old son and 21-year-old daughter.