A New Jersey man was arrested hours after his former girlfriend's body was located off a busy highway on Wednesday.
Gregory Mallard, 35, is accused of killing 32-year-old Norelis Mendoza, the mother of his two toddlers.
The woman was reported missing Sunday after she left her mother's residence the previous night.
“Nothing can bring Norelis back, but there is an amazing sense of relief,” the victim's cousin said following the arrest.
“The family would like to thank all the law enforcement agencies involved, especially the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, which did an amazing job.”
Mallard was a member of the 52 Hoover Street Crips gang and a convicted murderer who spent 10 years of his life in jail.
The cousin said that Mendoza knew Mallard's criminal history but “she had a heart of gold. She always gave people her best.”
