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Woman found dead at Leominster apartment, boyfriend arrested

LEOMINSTER, Mass. — Police have arrested a man after they say his girlfriend’s body was found inside his Leominster apartment.

The woman was found dead Sunday morning at 25 State St. Apt. C after police and paramedics responded to a 911 call.

Jose Cortes, 58, has been charged with murder. He is set to be arraigned Monday in Leominster District Court.

Neighbors say the victim had been staying with Cortes for about a month.

“I’m so sad that she’s dead,” Sulema Torres said. “She was a really good person.”

Torres, herself a survivor of domestic violence, says what she saw while police were in Cortes' apartment caused traumatic flashbacks.

“I've been through that that’s awful I wish she was not dead now," Torres said.

Others who lived in the apartment building said they can't recall any signs of problems that would explain how it escalated to murder.

“It’s something crazy. The guy, obviously, his head wasn’t right. It’s sad it’s very sad,” Eddie Torres said.

The victim's identity is not being released until her family has been notified. Investigators have not said how she died.