Lauren Astley found dead in Mass. marshland, classmate Nathaniel Fujita charged with murder

WAYLAND, Mass. (CBS/WBZ) - Lauren Astley's dreams of going to college in North Carolina were brought to a brutal end sometime Sunday night, allegedly by fellow classmate and reported boyfriend, Nathaniel Fujita, according to Wayland, Mass. police.

Astley, a recent graduate of Wayland High School who planned to attend Elon University in North Carolina in the fall, was last seen Sunday night after leaving her job at a store at the Natick Collection mall about 17 miles west of Boston.

Astley's father, Malcolm, a member of the Wayland School Committee, said he became worried Sunday night and reported her missing after she failed to check in with him before heading out with friends. Her body was found by a passing bicyclist Monday morning in a marshy area near where police had been searching Sunday night, according to CBS affiliate WBZ.

By Tuesday morning 18-year-old Fujita was in police custody and charged with Astley's murder after his car, a brown SUV, was seen being towed into the Wayland police station Monday, according to WBZ.

Malcolm Astley told WBZ that he didn't know of any problems between his daughter and Fujita. Astley and Fujita graduated from Wayland High School last month, and although early reports named Fujita as Astley's boyfriend, her father told WBZ that she was not dating anyone at the time of her death.

Fujita is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Framingham District Court.