N.J. man indicted in killing of ex-girlfriend, kidnapping of their child – NJ.com
A Union County grand jury has indicted a Highland Park man on charges that he murdered his ex-girlfriend and kidnapped their child in July.
Tyler Rios, 27, is accused of strangling Yasemin Uyar, 24, in her Rahway apartment on July 8, then taking their 2-year-old son and driving more than 700 miles to Tennessee with Uyar’s body in the back of his car.
He allegedly disposed of the body near a campsite.
An Amber alert was issued for the abducted child after he wasn’t dropped off at daycare on July 9 and Uyar didn’t arrive for work.
Police were able to track down Rios in Tennessee after he called two people following the killing. He phoned a relative on July 9 and said he had a dead body in his car. In the other call, he allegedly admitted killing Uyar.
Mourners attend memorial service at the Reformed Church of Highland Park for Yasemin Uyar, who was found dead in Monterey,Tennessee, after she was abducted and murdered by her former partner Tyler Rios. Highland Park,N.J. July 23, 2021. Noah K. Murray | for NJ Advance
The child was found unharmed in a Monterey, Tennessee, motel on July 10 and Rios was arrested without incident.
Rios told them where to find the body, which was located 2,300 feet away from the motel in a duffel bag.
An autopsy determined she died of strangulation and blunt force trauma.
At the time of her death, Uyar had a restraining order against Rios.
He previously served county jail time for violating his parole after being charged with strangling Uyar. He was charged with assaulting her and violating a restraining order at least five other times in the last few years, according to court records.
The victim’s family and friends said she had recently tried to sever ties with Rios and was planning on moving to a new apartment with her son.
The grand jury indicted Rios on first-degree charges of murder and kidnapping, along with counts of desecrating human remains, endangering the welfare of a child, contempt by violating a domestic violence restraining order and theft.
He was extradited to New Jersey on July 16 and remains in Essex County Jail pending an Oct. 12 post-indictment arraignment hearing.
Mourners attend memorial service at the Reformed Church of Highland Park for Yasemin Uyar, who was found dead in Monterey,Tennessee, after she was abducted and murdered by her former partner Tyler Rios. Highland Park,N.J. July 23, 2021. Noah K. Murray | for NJ Advance
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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.