DNA under woman's fingernails, bloody shirt link suspect to her death, deputies say

ORLANDO, Fla. — A 26-year-old man was arrested Thursday, months after the bodies of two women were discovered in woods near a church and seminary near Apopka, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies said Pablo Antonio Tavarez was charged in the death of Kristina Gail Upchurch, 34. He made his first court appearance Friday morning, where a judge denied him bond.

Investigators said lawn care workers on May 2discovered the bodies of Upchurch and Nicole Louise Evans, 37, near the New Vision Community Church on West Orange Blossom Trail.

Deputies said charges in Evans' death are pending.

Investigators said they believe Tavarez met the women through prostitution, then killed and dumped their bodies weeks apart.

Deputies said the man's DNA was found under Upchurch's fingernails and on a bloody shirt on the scene. They said an ID belonging to Evans was also found in one of Tavarez​​​​​​'s​ cars.

“The injuries to the victims are Nicole Evans had two gunshot wounds to the head, stabbed multiple times. Kristina Upchurch was stabbed multiple times," Sheriff John Mina said.

Anyone with more information about the deaths is asked to call Crimeline at 407-423-8477.

Check back and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story.

Watch Tavarez be taken to the Sheriff's Office below:

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Cox Media Group