WORCESTER—A Mississippi man has been indicted for murder in connection with the 2009 disappearance of Patricia Santos, a Worcester woman who was last seen 16 years ago.
A Worcester County Grand Jury on Sept. 23 indicted Albert Carabba, 64, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on one count of murder. Santos, 36, was reported missing from her home at 45 Fruit St. on May 20, 2009, and was never seen or heard from again, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
Carabba, identified as Santos’ ex-boyfriend, was arrested without incident in Ocean Springs by local police, with assistance from Worcester detectives. He is expected to be brought back to Massachusetts for arraignment in Worcester Superior Court.
“For the last 16 years, the Worcester Police Department has not forgotten Patricia Santos,” said Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier in a statement. “This arrest highlights the steadfast, patient determination with which WPD officers and detectives worked to take the next steps toward justice for her and her family.”
Saucier credited the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office for its role in advancing the case, which investigators have continued to pursue since Santos’ disappearance.
The indictment marks the first major development in the case in more than a decade.
