A life sentence has been handed down to a Dorchester man for his role in the murder of a woman found dead and burned in Bridgewater.
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office says that on Wednesday a jury found 51-year-old Fernando Owens guilty of one count each of First Degree Murder and Aggravated Kidnapping.
The incident took place on November 3, 2015, when Bridgewater Police received a 911 call just before midnight for a report of a fire burning alongside MBTA train tracks.
It was determined to be a human body on fire that was later identified as 29-year-old Ashley Bortner of New Jersey.
Bortner’s body had been burned over 70%, she had been gagged, and her face was wrapped with a towel and her hands and feet were also bound behind her.
An investigation determined that Owens was acquainted with the victim and believed she somehow played a role in the murder of his son in Suffolk County.
During the course of that investigation an electrical cord and a cotton towel seized from Owens home linked him to the murder.
Owens fled to the Dominican Republic shortly after the murder but was captured by authorities there.
The DA’s office says 48-year-old Julian Squires and 46-year-old Shannon Squires are accused of assisting Owens in killing and disposing of Bortner’s body.
Julian Squires is currently serving a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Shannon Squires is next scheduled to appear in court on July 20.
