Corpse found in February as an army veteran missing since 2019, friend charged with murder – Crime Online Crime

A New Mexico man was charged with murder Friday, days after a body discovered in Nevada in February was officially identified as his girlfriend Cecelia Finona, who disappeared in May 2019.

Farmington, New Mexico, said police in a statement that they had charged Jerry Jay with first degree murder, first degree kidnapping, and manipulation of evidence. Jay has been on custody in Nevada since June 2019 after he was allegedly caught with Finona’s debit card and withdrawn $ 1,200.

In February of this year, a citizen in Clark County, Nevada, reportedly discovered human remains. Farmington Police said DNA testing was used to identify the remains as Finona, 59, on Wednesday.

Jay was considered a person of interest early on in Finona’s disappearance. Finona was last seen by the family, and Farmington investigators found evidence in the couple’s home leading to concerns about their safety. Jay was also missing from the apartment when Finona disappeared, according to police.

The Associated Press reported that Finona’s mother told police that Finona and Jay had an argument the night they went missing and someone left in the middle of the night. The mother reported Finona missing after not coming home for two days.

NBC News reported that detectives discovered blood in the house running from the floor of a porch to the driveway. It seemed like someone was trying to cover the blood with potting soil. Police said they found a single bloody eyeglass lens.

According to the AP, Finona’s daughter claimed they discovered the blood and lens and reported them to police.

NBC reported that at the time of her disappearance, Finona had just returned to New Mexico after 31 years in the US Army. The police have not yet disclosed a motive for their murder.

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[Featured image: Cecelia Finona/Facebook; Jerry Jay/Farmington Police Department]