Four arrested in alleged murder of Nazareth Claure

A car pursuit that began in Far Rockaway and ended in Inwood on April 14 has culminated in the arrest of five people for the alleged murder of Nazareth Claure, 31, a Rockaway resident who previously lived in Hewlett.

According to law enforcement officials, Allan Lopez, 22, aka Sergio, is charged with murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Rigeo Yohairo, 20, and Jose Sarmiento, 21, are both charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Rodolfo Lopez, 26 is charged with concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence.

A fifth person, Anander Henriquez, 28, Claure’s boyfriend was charged with strangulation assault related to an attack on her earlier this month, but not her death. Police that Claure had gotten an order of protection against Henriquez in November.

Authorities said that agents from a federal task force in Queens saw several men put what appeared to be a large object in the trunk of a car before 2 a.m. on that Wednesday in Far Rockaway. The agents followed the sedan onto the Nassau Expressway and pulled the vehicle over by Bayview Avenue on the roadway that is also known as state Route 878.

Noticing a strong odor coming from the trunk they discovered the body of Claure, wrapped in a blanket. She apparently was stabbed multiple times, possibly by a machete.

Officials said that at least two of suspects and Henriquez are considered gang members of  MS-13. However, the killing is connected to a domestic dispute between Claure and Henriquez, who previously arrested for assaulting Claure with a metal rod outside a Far Rockaway Chase Bank on Jan. 17.   

The four arrested were under investigation for their alleged affiliation with MS-13, officials said.

The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are possible, authorities said.