Camden Co. Man Admits To Killing Girlfriend After Victim's Body Was Found In Refrigerator

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RUNNEMEDE, NJ — A Camden County man admitted Monday to killing his girlfriend, whose remains were found last year inside a refrigerator at a state forest.

Christopher Blevins, 46, of Runnemede, pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the death of Laura Hughes. He was charged with first-degree murder earlier this year.

The body of Hughes, 50, was discovered inside a refrigerator at Belleplain State Forest in Cape May County last December, authorities said. It took investigators several weeks to identify her as the victim.

Months prior, automatic license plate readers captured Blevins's pickup truck with a refrigerator-shaped object in Sea Isle City and Long Beach Township, according to court documents. Investigators later found blue ratchet straps, a gun and a calendar with the days marked "x" until July 24, 2024, in the Camden County home that Blevins shared with Hughes.

The refrigerator was wrapped in a sleeping bag and secured with blue ratchet straps, according to an affidavit into Blevins's arrest.

Blevins fled to Mexico on Aug. 2, 2024, and surrendered himself to Mexican authorities a few weeks later, according to NJ Advance Media, citing an affidavit of probable cause. He told them he had been involved in a "violent incident" in Runnemede and "panicked," and that he may have killed someone in a bar fight, according to the report.

But he didn't face charges until Jan. 3, when he was charged with second-degree desecrating human remains and third-degree hindering apprehension in Cape May County.

Blevins was arrested Jan. 13 in San Diego.

He was charged Jan. 29 with first-degree murder in Camden County.

Criminal proceedings remain underway for Blevins's charges in Cape May County, where he has a discretionary case conference scheduled for Nov. 17.