Trio Charged With Murder Of La Vergne Man Found Burned In Georgia

NASHVILLE, TN -- Three men face murder charges in the death of a La Vergne man found partially burned in woods outside of Dalton, Ga. in January 2017.

Following a joint investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Davidson County grand jury indicted Hector Ruiz, 30, and Kevin Palacio, 25, both of Antioch; and Roberto Viera-Aybar, 24, of La Vergne in the murder of 26-year-old Luis Antonio Lopez.

Investigators believe Lopez was killed in Davidson County and his body taken to Georgia, where it was discovered by a 10-year-old boy walking home from school.

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Ruiz was already jailed in Nashville on unrelated charges, while Palacio and Viera-Aybar were arrested and are jailed in Georgia.

Ruiz and Lopez were among those arrested in a massive bust of an alleged Middle Tennessee drug ring in June 2016. The ring, which detectives believe was headed by Cuban nationals, ran several indoor marijuana grow operations in rural parts of Middle Tennessee, transferring the product to Nashville for sale, according to Metro Police. The proceeds from the "highly lucrative" business were then transferred to associates in Miami.

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