West Bridgewater Homicide: 1 Arrested

WEST BRIDGEWATER, MA – A West Bridgewater man has been taken into custody and charged with murder, police said.

Just before 6 p.m. Sunday night, West Bridgewater police learned that a woman was murdered in a house on Columbus Avenue. At the scene, police found a woman with obvious signs of trauma. The woman, identified as 72-year-old Julia Fernandez, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz.

A police investigation led to Danny Lopes, Jr, 34, of West Bridgewater, being identified as the suspect. He was located in North Providence, Rhode Island and arrested at 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. He is being held in Rhode Island and the Plymouth County District Attorney's office will seek to have him returned with a governor's warrant.

Police have identified Fernandez as the longtime girlfriend of Lopes' late father, Cruz said.

Police say they do not know the motive but believe that Fernandez was killed with a fireplace log.

The murder remains under investigation.