BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Brownsville police have identified the suspect accused of killing and then burning a woman’s body in February.
Francisco Javier Hernandez Jr., 29, was arrested on charges of murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence, according to a Brownsville Police Department news release.
On February 20, the body of Kassandra Yvette Roquemore, 25, was found in an open field on FM 511 after police officers responded to the location in reference to a grass fire. Police determined Roquemore had been shot and then set on fire.
Detectives say Hernandez killed Roquemore at a different location and then received help from Mary Bodden to remove the body and take it to the open field where the victim was set on fire.
Hernandez was already jailed in the Carrizales Rucker Detention Center in Olmito on unrelated charges when detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest. He was arraigned Friday and his bond is set at $1,030,000.
Investigators say Bodden was also jailed at the same detention center on unrelated charges and awaits her arraignment in connection to the murder.
“This case is still an open investigation and further details will be released as they become available,” police said.
