'My Heart Is Broken': Body Found Along I-95 Is Missing Marine Recruit

CANTON (CBS) - A body found on the side of Interstate 95 in Canton is missing Marine recruit Joseph Brancato.

The human remains were spotted a "modest distance" from the road by a driver who broke down in the southbound side of the highway Wednesday afternoon, according to the Norfolk District Attorney's Office.

Brancato, 21, was staying with a Marine recruiter in Roslindale when he was last seen back on Nov. 18.

The recruiter, 39-year-old Frank Lipka, was arrested March 23 on charges unrelated to Brancato's disappearance. He is considered a "person of interest" in the disappearance case.

Kim Brancato, the Marine recruit's mother, broke down in tears while talking about her son's body being found.

"My question is why? Why would somebody do this to someone? My heart is broken," she said. "I don't know how I'll go on without him. He was a good kid. He wanted to be a marine. That's all he wanted to do. He wanted to fight for this country, but instead he's found on the side of the road. I don't know what else to say."

Lipka had been in military custody in South Carolina for an unrelated case. He was arrested when he returned to Boston Friday. He has not been charged in connection with Brancato's disappearance.

The West Roxbury Clerk's Office told WBZ-TV that Lipka has still not posted the $10,000 bail and is being held in Suffolk County Jail. He is due back in court April 24.

The district attorney's office confirmed Thursday afternoon that the body belongs to Brancato. A cause of death has not been established.

No other information is available at this point in the investigation.

Police contacted Brancato's family to inform them that the Brancato's body had been found.

Now, the family is trying to cope with his death.

"I think last night we just kind of all had a gut feeling that it was him," said Brancato's cousin, Nicole DaSilva.

Sobbing, his mother, Kim Brancato, said of her late son: "He was a good kid. He wanted to be a Marine. That's all he wanted to do."