Authorities are seeking a Ringwood woman in connection with the discovery.
BRANCHBURG-- A Pennsylvania man has been charged in connection with moving the body of Ashley M. Castro, who was found on the median in Route 22 last Wednesday, and authorities are searching for another suspect, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday.
David DeSantos, 32, of Henryville, Pennsylvania is in custody on second-degree charges of disturbing human remains and authorities are searching for Nicole Barbour, 26, of Ringwood, according to the prosecutor's office.
After an investigation by the prosecutor's office, DeSantos and Barbour were charged with unlawfully disturbing, moving and concealing the remains of Castro, 29, in the early-morning hours on Wednesday, March 29, according to Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson.
The pair allegedly moved the Hopatcong woman's body from a Route 22 motel and concealed her in the center median amongst bushes, trees, and high grass, according to the prosecutor's office.
The body was found across from the Regency Motel on April 5.
Castro's cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy by the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office.
Mom says 'I knew this day would come'
However, Castro's mother, Margaret Castro-Saavedra, has told NJ Advance Media that police told her they suspect her daughter died of a drug overdose.
On April 5, at approximately 1:22 p.m., Branchburg Township Police responded to a call reporting the discovery of a deceased woman in the center median of Route 22 near Route 28.
Two days later, at approximately 11 p.m., detectives tracked DeSantos to a residence in High Bridge and arrested him on an outstanding fugitive warrant from Pennsylvania, the prosecutor's office said.
DeSantos is being held in the Somerset County Jail. He had his first appearance in court Tuesday afternoon, according to mycentraljersey.com.
DeSantos' attorney, Matthew Katzenbach, told mycentraljersey.com that DeSantos called police to tell them he had moved the body to the highway median because he felt guilty.
Barbour, 26, is described as a white female, approximately 5-foot, 4-inches, 106 pounds with green eyes and blond/brown hair, police said.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 908-231-7100, the Branchburg Township Police Department 908-526-3830 or the Somerset County Crime Stoppers' Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or online at www.888577tips.org or www.scpo.net and click on either "Crime Stoppers" or "TIPS HOTLINE."
All anonymous Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.