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August 3, 2007

Update: Man charged in case of body found at school

JOHNSTON – A North Providence man has been charged in connection with the death of a woman who police said died while the two of them were using drugs last Saturday at the man's home.

Police had found the decomposing body of the woman, identified today as Gina Hughes, 34, behind the Winsor Hill School on Wednesday.

The man, Frank A. Marsella, 45, of 17 Brown St., North Providence, has been charged with failure to report Hughes' death with the intent to conceal a felony, that is, a violation of the uniformed controlled substance act; and a misdemeanor charge of failure to render assistance to Hughes, who was in need of medical assistance.

Police said Marsella said Hughes died at his apartment on Saturday while the two were using drugs. He told police that he wrapped her body in two tarps on Sunday, put it in the trunk of a vehicle and drove to the Winsor Hill School at 100 Theresa St., where he left her body in a grassy area next to the road.

Police, who initially indicated that the death might be a homicide, said the investigation is ongoing.

Marsella is being held at the police station in Johnston until his arraignment this afternoon at District Court in Warwick.

At a press conference today, Johnston police said that because Hughes' body was so badly decomposed, she had to be identified by fingerprints. A preliminary exam from the state medical examiner's office showed there were signs of cocaine and opiates in her system, the police said.

It appears the woman died of an overdose, and Marsella was apparently concerned that if he reported the death, his own drug use would become known to authorities and he would go back to jail, Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini said before the press conference.

The police have also said they had identified the woman as having a criminal record. They said she had been released from the Adult Correctional Institutions June 26.

Today, Tamburini thanked the Attorney General's Office, the state police and the Providence police and medical examiner's office for their help.

-- With reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson and Journal staff writer Mark Reynolds

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 1:30 PM | Permalink

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michael patierno | August 8, 2007 1:33 AM link

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