Fugitive arrested in case of Route 22 body dumping

SOMERVILLE — Police have arrested the second suspect in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found along Route 22 in Branchburg.

Somerset County Prosecutor Michael Robertson said Nicole Barbour, 26, of Ringwood, was found at the Red Carpet Inn on Route 1 in New Brunswick on Wednesday morning. She was charged with the second-degree crime of disturbing human remains in connection with the death of Ashley Castro.

David DeSantos, 32, and Barbour were named by Robertson as suspects for moving the 22-year-old's body on March 29 from a hotel on Route 28 to the wooded median on Route 22, where Castro's body was found on April 5.

DeSantos admitted to moving the body.

A judge on Monday ordered him held without bail because he was considered a flight risk.

Barbour was awaiting a detention hearing.

Neither DeSantos nor Barbour have been charged in the death of Castro. The cause of her death remains under investigation.

Castro's family said she had a young daughter and had battled with drug addiction. She had recently walked away from a drug rehab facility.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

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