Man accused of burning murder victim’s body in Plainfield is caught

PLAINFIELD — A city resident accused of killing another man and setting his body on fire on Christmas Eve last year has been captured in Texas, authorities announced Tuesday.

Oscar Rodriguez, 24, was charged in February with murder and desecration of human remains in the death of David Chacon, 42, also of Plainfield, whose body was identified by using DNA evidence.

Rodriguez was identified as a suspect shortly after the body was found, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

He was recently arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents near a U.S.- Mexico border crossing in Texas and extradited to New Jersey.

Further details on the arrest and how authorities located him were not disclosed.

Rodriguez made his initial court appearance Monday, where a judge ruled that he will be detained until his trial, which has not yet been scheduled.

A motive for the murder has not been disclosed.

It wasn't known Tuesday if Rodriguez has retained an attorney.

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