Christopher Blevins pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the killing of Laura Hughes before dumping her remains at a state park.
Trenton, NJ – A New Jersey man will spend nearly two decades in prison after admitting he strangled his girlfriend to death, hid her body in a refrigerator, and later dumped her remains at a state park.
Key Points
• Christopher Blevins sentenced to 17 years in prison
• Victim Laura Hughes, 50, was strangled and her body hidden in a refrigerator
• Prosecutors reduced the charge from murder as part of a plea deal
Christopher Blevins, 46, was sentenced Friday to 17 years behind bars after pleading guilty in October to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the death of 50-year-old Laura Hughes.
Prosecutors originally charged Blevins with first-degree murder but reduced the charge during plea negotiations.
Body hidden after killing
Authorities said Blevins strangled Hughes before placing her body inside a refrigerator.
He later transported the remains and left them at a state park, investigators said.
Family describes lasting impact
Hughes leaves behind two children who continue to deal with the emotional aftermath of the crime.
During the sentencing hearing, Cornel Alston, the father of Hughes’ children, spoke about how the loss has affected their family.
He told the court that Hughes’ youngest daughter, now 14, considers herself a “secondary victim of a homicide.”
Emotional statement in court
Alston said the trauma of the killing will follow the children for the rest of their lives.
“Although there is no amount of time that will bring [Hughes] back, you should never be able to walk among the free,” Alston said during the hearing.
He also expressed concern that Blevins could eventually be released while the family continues living with the loss.
