Worcester Man Faces Charges Connected To Death Of Missing Grandfather

WORCESTER (CBS) – It started as a missing persons case two weeks ago, and now the mystery of what happened to 68-year-old Marcelino Mueces has deepened with the discovery of his body in a shallow grave in the basement of a home on Penn Avenue in Worcester belonging to 53-year-old Thomas Garon.

Garon was in court today facing charges of moving Mueces' body several times and cashing his last paycheck. Police focused on Garon last week when he was seen driving Mueces' pickup truck. Now he's also charged with misleading police about Mueces' whereabouts.

"He said he'd never been in his home, had left in a Honda with someone else, and assured police no evidence would be found on his property," said prosecutor Chris Hodgens.

His family says Mueces is an easy going immigrant from the Dominican Republic. He was last seen leaving his part-time job at Santiago's Market in Worcester the morning of February 18 and never returned home.

His longtime girlfriend Yolanda Lopez says he's someone who always calls. "Every day there would be three or four calls, did you guys eat breakfast, do you need anything," Lopez tells WBZ-TV.

Garon's defense attorney Blake Rubin says he does not have a lengthy record and was last in court 17 years ago for a case that was dismissed. "Right now he's not facing a charge of murder, people are insinuating that but it's not something he's charged with," said Rubin outside of court.

Yolanda Lopez says she just wants answers. "He didn't deserve what happened to him," Lopez said. "It's hard, especially the way things ended up."

Garon is being held without bail and will be back in court Friday for a dangerousness hearing.