Man sought in slaying of estranged wife, police say

Philadelphia police are searching for a man they say stabbed his estranged wife to death, then wrapped her body in a tarp and blanket and stashed it in the basement of her Lawncrest home before fleeing, police said.

Miguel Aguilar Ojeda, 34, is wanted in the killing of Ivelisse Lugo, 53, and is a fugitive, police said. An arrest warrant for Ojeda includes charges of murder, abuse of corpse, and related crimes, according to police.

Lugo’s family told police that she had gone missing from her home on the 5900 block of Elsinore Street on Oct. 26. They said they had last seen her around 8:15 a.m. that day, police said. A now-deleted missing-person notice posted by Philadelphia police said that Lugo may have been with Ojeda and that police believed she was “endangered.”

Police did not say if Ojeda had been living with Lugo at the time of her disappearance or whether authorities had received any previous complaints.

On Oct. 27, Lugo’s family called police to say they had spotted traces of blood on the floor and wall in the basement of the home, police said. When officers arrived to inspect the house, they discovered Lugo’s body wrapped in a tarp and a blanket in the basement, police said. She had been stabbed in the chest, abdomen, and back, police said.

Police initially said they were searching for Aguilar as a person of interest in Lugo’s slaying and called on the public for help in finding him, saying he may have been driving a white van.

Authorities believe the killing was the result of a domestic dispute but did not provide further information.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 215-686-3334 or to submit tips by calling or texting the department’s tip line at 215-686-8477. Tips can be submitted anonymously.