Crime & Safety

Friday Hearing for Brothers Who Allegedly Dumped Woman's Body

Two Berks County brothers, charged with killing Jennifer Velez-Negron, whose burned body was found dumped in Salisbury Township, near Emmaus, on Dec. 27, face a Friday hearing.

A preliminary hearing for fwo Berks County brothers charged with kidnapping, torturing and killing 26-year-old Jennifer Velez-Negron, whose burned body was found dumped in Salisbury Township not far from the Emmaus border two days after Christmas is scheduled Friday. 

Michael Allen Wilkins, 39, and Maurice Adrian Wilkins, 32, of Fleetwood, are charged with killing Velez-Negron, who was said to have been a witness to the shooting deaths of a Palmer Township man and another man in Reading on Dec 4.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m Friday in front of District Judge Michael Leonardziak in Berks County.

Velez-Negron's burned body was found Dec. 27 near Unami Fish and Game Club off Chestnut Hill Road in Salisbury Township. 

The brothers are also charged with killing two other people. They face three counts of murder of the first degree, three counts of murder of the third degree, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, kidnapping, possessing instruments of a crime and persons not to possess or transfer firearms.

Salisbury police had discovered Velez-Negron's body after a passing motorist reported a small fire on the side of Chestnut Hill Road the morning of Dec. 27. An autopsy revealed Velez-Negron died from suffocation and was set on fire.


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