NJ man indicted on charges of murdering ex-girlfriend, kidnapping son

A Union County Grand Jury has returned a six-count indictment against an East Orange man accused of killing his former girlfriend and kidnapping their young son, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel announced Thursday.

Tyler Rios, 27, formerly of Highland Park, is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping and one count each of desecrating human remains, endangering the welfare of a child, contempt by violating a domestic violence restraining order and theft.

On July 8, Rios kidnapped Sebastian Rios and killed 24-year-old Yasemin Uyar, of Rahway, the child’s mother, Daniel said.

The following day, Sebastian Rios did not show up for daycare and Uyar did not arrive at work, prosecutors said, prompting a welfare check at Uyar’s home, which was empty.

State Police issued an Amber Alert that was broadcast and widely shared via social media.

Two days after his disappearance, Sebastian Rios was found unharmed on July 10 in Monterey, Tennessee and Tyler Rios was taken into custody.

That same day, Uyar’s body was found in a wooded area off a Tennessee highway.

She had died of strangulation and blunt force trauma, according to results of an autopsy.

Rios has remained in Essex County Jail since being extradited back to New Jersey on July 16.

He is slated for arraignment in Union County Superior Court on October 12.

During the pandemic in 2020, Rios spent several months in the jails of two counties. But judges never sent him to prison, always releasing him with conditions of probation.

Court records obtained by New Jersey 101.5 show a history of domestic violence, including a 2018 charge of trying to strangle a victim.

“We are grateful for the collaboration with the many local and federal law enforcement agencies who assisted our Office in not only apprehending Mr. Rios, but also in safely recovering Sebastian Rios, locating Ms. Uyar’s remains and bringing them both home to their family,” Daniel said in a written statement.

“And we hope that this can bring some small measure of comfort to all those grieving Yasemin.”

With previous reporting by Sergio Bichao