NJ Brothers Tried To 'Disintegrate' Newark Woman's Body: ECPO

NEWARK, NJ — A grand jury in Essex County has indicted a man accused of killing the mother of his children at her home in Newark, authorities announced Thursday.

Gualberto Lebron’s brother, Gilberto Lebron Jr., 36, has been accused of helping his sibling cover up the death of Julia Vega, 30, according to a joint statement from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Newark Department of Public Safety.

Prosecutors allege that Gualberto Lebron, 35, assaulted Vega at her home on May 5, 2018. Newark police were called to the scene, but Lebron fled before they arrived, authorities said.

Here’s what allegedly happened next, prosecutors said:

“On May 9, 2018, Vega, left work at a local day care center to go home and walk her dogs during her lunch break. The defendant, Gualberto Lebron, allegedly followed her to her residence and murdered her inside. At the time of the murder, the two were estranged. It is further alleged that he then used her minivan to transport her body away from her complex. Vega was reported missing that day, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force was brought in to assist with the missing person's search. The investigation revealed that Gualberto Lebron, with the assistance of his brother, Gilberto Lebron, placed Vega's remains in sealed garbage bags with chemicals intended to disintegrate her remains.”

Prosecutors continued:

“Gualberto Lebron was arrested by the U.S. Marshals and the Newark Fugitive Apprehension Team after a manhunt and car chase on May 11, 2019. Following an extensive search around the state, Vega's remains were recovered in a chemical slurry in the rear of an abandoned property in Irvington on June 1, 2018.”

Gualberto Lebron has been indicted for murder, felony murder, sexual assault, desecration of human remains, burglary, robbery, stalking, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children and hindering apprehension, prosecutors said.

Gilberto Lebron, has been indicted for desecration of human remains, hindering apprehension, destruction of evidence and illegal possession of weapons, prosecutors said.

Both brothers remain at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark, authorities said Thursday.

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