Death of a 25-year-old Puerto Rican woman inside a New Hampshire motel room nine days ago has sparked several arrests

01:53 Salem. 0 Comments

Death of a 25-year-old Puerto Rican woman inside a New Hampshire motel room nine days ago has sparked several arrests, including that of a fugitive living in Lawrence who allegedly used the woman and her twin sister as "drug mules" to smuggle cocaine from the Dominican Republic.On Nov. 27, police in Salem, N.H., received a 911 call from the Park View Inn, a local motel. Inside a room there, police found Mally Cruz-Rodriguez dead. Her twin sister, Nelly, was also in the room, but police said she was not forthcoming about the circumstances of her sister's condition.But from the moment they entered the room, authorities suspected Mally Cruz-Rodriguez was a victim of drug intoxication."Due to the evidence in the room, the situation, and the fact that the women had just come into the country the night prior from the Dominican Republic, the medical staff that responded knew that [drug intoxication] was a definite possibility," Captain Shawn Patten of the Salem Police Department said yesterday by phone.Patten would not disclose what type of evidence was found in the room.Preliminary autopsy results later revealed that Cruz-Rodriguez probably died of acute cocaine intoxication after ingesting a significant quantity of the drug wrapped in rubber bags, Patten said. She and her sister, both of Puerto Rico, had flown from the Dominican Republic to Miami and then to Logan Airport. From Logan, they headed to Salem.The surviving sister was questioned but not held by authorities. Once police determined the cause of her sister's death, they "went on a very active search" for Nelly Cruz-Rodriguez, believing that she had also ingested cocaine. Police found her at a local mall, and determined that she had ingested cocaine wrapped in rubber bags. The sister was rushed to a hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to remove the drugs.Investigators were led to Angel Baez-Gil, 48, as the man who allegedly enlisted the twins as drug mules. Salem police notified the Lawrence Police Department, and Baez-Gil was picked up three days ago on a fugitive warrant. Baez-Gil used aliases, was a fugitive wanted in Wisconsin on cocaine trafficking charges, and was living in the country illegally, Patten said.
Baez-Gil waived extradition to New Hampshire and was arraigned yesterday on charges of conspiracy possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was held without bail and on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.Nelly Cruz-Rodriguez was also arraigned yesterday and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Escolastico Suero, 45, of Lawrence, was arrested on the same charges in connection with the case. The suspects were each held on $100,000 cash bail.Patten said he is not certain about the size and reach of the drug operation, but he said there will probably be additional arrests in the case. Prosecutors will also consider whether to issue homicide charges against any of the defendants.Last Thursday, in an unrelated case, police in Salem arrested three Lawrence men on charges of distributing, selling, and possession of crack cocaine, after authorities conducted a drug sting at a hotel in Salem.