Following the arrests of five people in connection to the kidnapping, torture and murder of a Michigan woman, court records are bringing to light gruesome details of what happened in the basement of a home.
On Tuesday, the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office announced arrests in the kidnapping, torture and homicide of 38-year-old
Nicole Cuevas, of Saginaw, Michigan, whose decomposed remains were found in the basement of a Wilkes-Barre home.
- Desiree Linnette, 43
- Faith Beamer, 39
- Jason Race, 43
- William Wolfe, 54
- Sarai Doyle, Linnette's daughter, 24
In March 2023, Cuevas, originally from Saginaw, Mich., had traveled to Wilkes-Barre with
Linnette in part to pursue a possible relationship, according to police.
However, very soon after arriving, the situation turned sour. Officers said Linnette had been attempting to turn the house against Cuevas. Linnette began attacking Cuevas's character, including accusing her of inappropriately touching a child.
Three days after arriving at 142 Carlisle St. from Mich., investigators say Linnette and Cuevas got into a fight over Linnette taking Cuevas's cell phone. Cuevas initially got the best of Linnette but was overpowered after Beamer and Doyle jumped into the fight.
Investigators say that Cuevas had been talking with a friend from Mich. when she was attacked and lost control of her phone. In a message thread, it is unclear whether Cuevas or someone else is communicating, which the friend grows suspicious of. Investigators believed that the suspicions were true and that Cuevas was no longer in control of her phone.
After that, Cuevas "was subjected to daily beatings and torture" over the course of several weeks. Some of those injuries included stab and slash wounds to the back, a stab wound to the left arm that was attempted to be sutured with fishing line, a destroyed naval cavity, broken ribs, a badly fractured leg, a broken hyoid bone, and damage, blindness and infection to both eyes after fingernails were dug into them.
Cuevas's head was also shaved so that "no one could be prettier than Linnette," according to an interview with Doyle.
At one point, Cuevas's leg was so badly injured that they were using a cart to move her around the home.
According to police, a witness who spent time at 142 Carlisle St. was directed not to go in the kitchen. However, after having to walk through, the witness saw Cuevas badly beaten, her head shaved, sitting in a chair and drooling.
At one point, Cuevas was attacked after soiling herself since she was not able to go to the bathroom. She had been beaten and strangled to death. Her death was ruled asphyxiation.
Cuevas's body was wrapped in a tarp, tied with electrical cords and rope, and buried in a shallow grave in the dirt floor under moth balls and lime.
The beating and killing of Cuevas was witnessed by a child, according to court documents. The child was warned that if they told anyone the same would be done to them.
Cuevas's body wasn't recovered from the residence until Feb. 2024. Due to the state of her remains, Mercyhurst University in Erie was requested to assist with removal and determine whether or not the remains were even human at that point.
Linnette, Beamer, Race, Wolfe and Doyle all face charges for:
- Homicide
- Conspiracy to commit murder
- Kidnapping
- Conspiracy to commit kidnapping
- Aggravated assault
- Abuse of a corpse.
local21news.com
