A homeless man was indicted Monday for fatally strangling a 58-year-old city woman whose body was pulled from the Passaic River last November, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.
The remains of Therese Diggins were found Nov. 23, 2012 -- the day after Thanksgiving -- showing signs of strangulation, blunt-force trauma and stab wounds.
Joseph Melillo, 45, whose last address was in Newark, was arrested a few days later, on Nov. 26, 2012. Melillo, who allegedly knew the victim, has also been indicted for having sexual contact with Diggins’ body.
Melillo is being held on $1 million bail.
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