At a press conference at Wilkes-Barre police HQ on April 9, District Attorney Sam Sangueldolce announced that the remains found buried in the basement at 142 Carlisle Street have been identified as Nicole Cuevas-Ingram, a 38-year-old woman from Saginaw, Michigan.
She came to Pennsylvania in March 2023 with a friend who later became her murderer. Cuevas was staying at the Carisle Street residence with that friend, Desiree Linnette, age 43, and several others.
D.A. Sam Sanguedolce said he believes Cuevas was in NEPA “really just as a visit.” The Times Leader noted it was for a possible romantic relationship.
The living situation turned sour, and Cuevas was unable to obtain money to return to Michigan. Linnette accused the victim of molesting a child, which seems to be a pattern with her. It is also horrifically ironic given that another suspect in this real-life horror story is a registered sexually violent predator and pedophile.
Somehow, Cuevas ended up handcuffed to a post in the basement, where she was held and beaten for several weeks, per the D.A. Updates indicate she was allowed to go into the kitchen periodically and was given bread and water.
She was beaten severely over the course of weeks. The description of what she endured is horrific:
Nearly all of her ribs were broken.
Her nasal cavity was destroyed.
An ankle was broken.
Her head was shaved.
She was also cut all over her body, with many cuts on her back.
Her hyoid bone in her neck was broken, indicating strangulation.
Her eyes were gouged with fingers.
A tooth was knocked out.
She was kicked and stomped.
The Times Leader reports Cuevas died when one of the murderers stomped on her head. The cause of death is given as asphyxiation.
Following her death, which occurred in April 2023, she was wrapped in a tarp that was tied with electrical cords and rope and buried in the dirt-floor basement.
Shortly after arriving in Wilkes-Barre in March 2023, Cuevas reached out to her family in Michigan for money to buy a bus ticket home.
This was her last public Facebook post:
5 people in custody
Five people have been arrested for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, aggravated assault, and abuse of a corpse. Those five individuals are:
• Jason Paul Race, 43 (appears to be the nephew of Debra Fox)
• Faith L. Hoover Beamer, 39 (girlfriend of Race)
• Desiree Kehaun Linnette, 43 (brought Cuevas to Wilkes-Barre)
• Sarai Kamalani Doyle, 24 (daughter of Linnette)
• William Benjamin Wolfe, 54
The D.A. said they expect at least one more arrest related to this case.
Debra Fox confirmed deceased
D.A. Sanguedolce also announced that the body found behind the Host Inn hotel was missing woman Debra Fox, who was the longtime homeowner of 142 Carlisle St. He said the investigation into her death is believed to be related to the murder at 142 Carlisle Street, but more investigation is needed.
When asked by a reporter if any evidence pointed to Debra Fox being involved in the torture of Nicole Cuevas, the D.A. replied with a firm no. However, the investigation is ongoing.
4/10/2024: The Times Leader currently has the most detailed reporting on this horrific crime: https://www.timesleader.com/news/1651111/da-victim-was-tortured-in-basement-of-wilkes-barre-residence