Southbridge man held without bail in NYC slay case

(Family photo via Worcester Telegram & Gazette)

Chelsea Frazier and her son, Alijah.

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

The Southbridge man who allegedly schemed to kill his ex-girlfriend during a trip to New York is being held without bail today at the city’s Rikers Island jail, prosecutors said.

Carlos Cruz, 36, was arraigned in the early morning hours in Bronx Criminal Court, along with his cousin, Devon Miller, 25, who allegedly was the triggerman in the slaying of 18-year-old Chelsea Frazier. Both face charges of first- and second-degree murder, along with weapons charges.

The two men pleaded not guilty before Judge Judith Lieb, said Melvin Hernandez, an assistant spokesman in the Bronx district attorney’s office. A pretrial hearing in the case is slated for Friday.

“They pleaded not guilty. Obviously, they deny the charges. It’s a tragedy all around, for everyone involved,” said attorney John Sandleitner, the defense attorney for the two men.

Frazier was found shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday in the driver's seat of her car in the Bronx with two gunshot wounds in her torso. She was shot while her 1-year-old son, fathered by Cruz, was in the back seat.

Cruz paid Miller to kill Frazier, a New York detective said in a criminal complaint released by the district attorney’s office.

Family and friends told the Globe yesterday that the killing was retaliation because Cruz was upset that Frazier recently broke off their engagement.

• Comment
• Permalink
• Email