A Queens, NY man, Aquellio Parker, 29, has been arrested and charged with being an accomplice to moving the human remains of Nicole Flanagan, 42, who was originally from Greenwich and most recently lived in the Bronx, New York.
On the morning of Aug 13, Police in Ridgefield Park, NJ, a few miles beyond the George Washington Bridge, responded to a report of a suspicious large plastic container and discovered Flanagan’s unclothed body.
Ms Flanagan’s cause of death has not been disclosed.
The arrest is the result of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s investigation. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest in a release on Aug 24, describing Parker as single and unemployed.
On Thursday, August 19, 2021, Parker was charged with one count of second-degree being an accomplice to disturbing, moving and/or concealing human remains, N.J.S.A. 2C:22-1a(1)/2C:2-6; one count of second-degree being an accomplice to desecrating, damaging and/or destroying human remains, N.J.S.A. 2C:22-1a(2)/2C:2-6; and one count of second-degree conspiring with a co-defendant to disturb, move, conceal and/or desecrate a deceased body, N.J.S.A. 2C:22-1a(1)/2C:5-2.
On Sunday, August 22, Parker turned himself in to the NYPD, where he is being held pending extradition.
Prosecutor Musella said that the charges were merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to an obituary on DignityMemorial.com, Flanagan is survived by her parents Thomas and Bonnie. She leaves behind three children, Aaron, Tayana, and Xavier, and a brother TJ and his wife Lisa Flanagan, who created a GoFundMe account to raise money to honor Nicole’s memory.
“As everyone knows, this was tragic and sudden. Making final arrangements has become a financial burden on her father,” said Lisa Flanagan on GoFundMe where she had raised $6,587 out of a goal of $10,000 as of Monday afternoon.
Family and friends are invited to calling hours Thursday, Aug 26, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 31 Arch Street in Greenwich.