Nicole Barbour, 26, of Ringwood, charged with second-degree disturbing human remains, will make her first appearance in court in Somerville on April 20, 2017.
SOMERVILLE - A Ringwood woman sought in connection with the dumping of a woman's body in a Route 22 median is in custody, Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson announced on Thursday.
Nicole Barbour (Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)Nicole Barbour, 26, was wanted for her role in the disposal of Ashley M. Castro, whose body was discovered April 5.
Barbour was arrested at the Red Carpet Inn in New Brunswick at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Robertston said. A second person involved, David DeSantos, is already in custody.
Barbour, who has been charged with second-degree disturbing human remains, appeared via video-conference before Bound Brook Municipal Court Judge Michael Fedun in Somerset County Superior Court on Thursday. Fedun was handling first appearances in court on Thursday.
She is being held until an detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday where it will be determined if she will be released on her own recognizance or remain in the Somerset County Jail until her trial. DeSantos is already being held in the jail after being denied release at a detention hearing in Somerset County Superior Court on Monday.
DeSantos, who has an extensive criminal history, is facing five to 10 years in state prison on the second-degree charge of disturbing human remains. He has another hearing scheduled for May 22.
Castro's mother: 'I knew this day would come'
Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit, along with detectives from the Branchburg Township Police Department and the FBI's Franklin Township office, took Barbour into custody, Robertson said. It was not announced how she was located by authorities.
Castro, of Hopatcong, had been concealed in the median since March 29, it was previously reported. DeSantos and Barbour are accused of moving Castro's body from a Route 22 motel to the median after she died, it was previously reported.
The cause of Castro's death hasn't been released, but investigators informed family members that they suspect a drug overdose, it has been reported.
Her mother, Margaret Castro-Saavedra, told NJ Advance Media that Castro recently walked out of a drug rehabilitation program after a five-month stay after a recent attempt to break her heroin addiction.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.