A chilling story unfolds in New Jersey, where a 35-year-old man is alleged to have murdered his girlfriend amid a breakup attempt. After the tragic incident, he reportedly drove around for hours with her lifeless body, using her phone to send deceptive messages to give the illusion that she was still alive.

This week, authorities apprehended Andres Calvachi-Paz, charging him with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 28-year-old Dayana Chisaguano Maleza. Beyond the murder charge, Calvachi-Paz faces accusations of second-degree disturbing of human remains and third-degree theft.

As reported by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation kicked off when Maleza’s body was found near Cedar Hill Golf Course in Livingston, a town roughly 25 miles west of Manhattan. The discovery occurred after an employee, tasked with clearing deer from the course, was drawn by a suspicious odor to a wooded area where the body had been discarded.

Calvachi-Paz and Maleza, who were in a relationship and cohabitated in Newark, were in the midst of a breakup when this tragic event transpired, the New York Daily News highlighted in their report.

Calvachi-Paz and Maleza were dating and shared an apartment in Newark at the time of the incident.

Earlier this month, the couple got into a heated argument, during which the victim “indicated she wanted to end the relationship” with Calvachi-Paz, prosecutors said. Calvachi-Paz allegedly responded by strangling Maleza to death inside their home.

Following the alleged murder, investigators say Calvachi-Paz moved Maleza into his car and “drove around for several hours” before ultimately discarding her body in the woods just off of Walnut Street.

Calvachi-Paz then allegedly tried to cover his tracks by making it seem as though the victim was alive and well.

“Afterward, Calvachi-Paz allegedly engaged in an elaborate scheme to make it appear as though the victim was still alive, including sending messages from her cellphone,” prosecutors wrote in the release.

Despite those efforts, authorities said that Calvachi-Paz admitted to killing Maleza after he was arrested.

It was not immediately clear if authorities know the exact date Maleza was killed or how long her body had been in the woods before it was discovered. Previously, investigators reportedly said they believed Maleza had been dead for several days prior to being found by the golf course employee.

Calvachi-Paz is currently being held in the Essex County Jail without bond, records show. It was not immediately clear when Calvachi-Paz was scheduled to appear in court.