Woman Facing Murder Charge In Death Of Newton Man: DA

NEWTON, MA — A woman has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a Newton man, Middlesex District Attorney Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Newton Police Chief John Carmichael Jr.announced at a press conference Wednesday.

Xiu Fang Ke, 43, was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with the death of 65-year-old Leonard Garber, who was found dead Tuesday in his home on Mt. Vernon Terrace. Ke is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday afternoon in Newton District Court.

Ryan said the investigation began on Monday when police received calls from Garber’s friends and family saying that they hadn’t heard from him since last week. Police went to conduct a wellbeing check on Tuesday, when they found Garber’s body wrapped in a curtain under heavy construction materials.

Ryan said it appeared Garber had been dead for over a day and an effort had been made to conceal his body from people entering the home.

Ke, a friend and former tenant of Garber’s at a different property, had been forging checks in his name amounting to over $40,000, Ryan said. Sometime between Thursday and Saturday, Garber became aware of the checks and confronted Ke, who investigators say then struck and killed him.

Ryan said the cause of death appears to be “blunt force trauma.”

Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller also spoke at the press conference, saying that Garber was an active member of the community and attended a local synagogue.

"I speak for the people of Newton when I say our hearts and prayers are heavy," she said.

Fuller noted that the incident was not a random act and the community is not in danger.