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Medical examiner identifies body found in Florida as missing New Bedford teen, death ruled as homicide

BOSTON — On Friday, authorities announced they have officially confirmed the body found last week in Fellsmere, Florida, is that of a New Bedford teen who had been missing since late October.

Jalajhia Finklea, 18, was last seen on Oct. 20 in New Bedford getting into the car of a man who would later be wanted by police in connection to her disappearance.

Luis Zaragoza, 37, who also went by the alias Luis Barbosa or Luis Barboza, was killed in a shootout with U.S. Marshals in Crestview, Florida on Nov. 5 as they were attempting to arrest him.

Authorities say Finklea was was seen getting into Zaragoza’s car in New Bedford - a vehicle he had recently rented from Logan Airport in Boston. Police say Zaragoza was the last person Finklea called shortly before getting into the car.

Zaragoza then turned off his own cell phone. Investigators say they found Finklea’s phone on the side of the road on Route 140 in New Bedford, about five miles from where Finklea first got into Zaragoza’s car.

Investigators deduced Zaragoza had left the state and was headed south along the eastern seaboard to Florida; they say he also traveled to Texas before driving back to Florida. Surveillance footage shows Zaragoza stopped in several places during this time, but Finklea didn’t appear in any of the video.

On Nov. 4, U.S. Marshals were able to locate Zaragoza and began surveilling him. Zaragoza was killed during a shootout with police at a McDonald’s parking lot, but Finklea was nowhere in sight.

On Nov. 25, authorities found a deceased female body in a field off Route 95 in Fellsmere, about a seven and a half hour drive from where they found Zaragoza.

The Saint Lucie Medical Examiner’s office in Florida confirmed the body belonged to Finklea and that her death was caused by two gunshot wounds. Her death has been ruled as a homicide.

A forensic analysis of Zaragoza’s showed a typed note note Zaragoza made explaining the events of October 20th. In the note, he detailed his own depression, and stated that when Finklea was in his car on Coggeshall Street in New Bedford he “snapped.” He went on to type, “she is gone,” and provided turn by turn directions to where Finklea could be found in Fellsmere, Florida. This information led police to finding her body.

“I would like to commend the various law enforcement agencies who worked closely with us to help solve this terrible case. I’d like to specifically thank New Bedford Police Detectives Roberto Dacunha, Jason Gangi and Sgt. Tyrone Jones for their efforts during the investigation of this case. In addition, I want to thank Troopers Brock Morrissette and Jeremiah Donovan for their expertise in discovering the suspect’s statement about the events and the location of the deceased body,” District Attorney Quinn said. “This is a terrible tragedy for the family and my heart goes out to them. This brutal crime was clearly committed by somebody with a depraved mind.”