The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest of a Newark man who admitted to strangling his girlfriend and disposing of her body in Livingston, as said in a news release.
According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office press release, investigators reported that Andres Calvachi-Paz confessed to strangling his girlfriend, Dayana Chisaguano Maleza, in their Newark apartment following an argument about ending their relationship. The release detailed that he then drove around for several hours with the victim’s body before leaving it on Walnut Street in Livingston near the Cedar Hill Golf Course, where it was later discovered. The office further noted that Calvachi-Paz allegedly sent messages from the victim’s phone to make it appear she was still alive.
Statute summaries published by the New Jersey Courts and referenced in reports on homicide classifications indicate that first-degree murder in New Jersey carries a sentencing range of 30 years to life imprisonment. These sources also explain that second-degree disturbing human remains can result in five to ten years in state prison when prosecutors establish intentional concealment or movement of a body. Legal references note that third-degree theft carries potential penalties of three to five years, illustrating how multiple criminal statutes apply when offenders take steps to hide or manipulate evidence.
ABC7 New York reported that workers near the Cedar Hill Golf Course discovered the victim’s body along the roadside, prompting a rapid joint investigation involving Livingston Police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Early findings suggested the body may have been at the location for some time, raising concerns regarding the circumstances of death before Calvachi-Paz’s admission was documented by investigators. The discovery site—an active and widely visited golf course—intensified public attention on the case and accelerated investigative developments.
According to information from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office website, it is the largest county prosecutor’s office in New Jersey and is responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious crimes across the county, including homicide, narcotics trafficking, and organized crime. The office is led by Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and collaborates closely with all municipal police departments—such as the Livingston Police Department—to coordinate major investigations and provide victim-witness support services. Public materials describe the office as committed to public safety, accountability, and community partnership across Essex County.
