New Bedford man indicted in 2005 cold case murder

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said a suspect has been arrested in a 2005 Westport cold case murder.

62-year-old Simao Farias, of New Bedford, was arrested nearly twenty years after the murder took place.

The body of 42-year-old Suzanna Alvarado, also of New Bedford, was found on the side of Route 88 in Westport on Oct. 17, 2005.

It was determined by the medical examiner that Alvarado was beaten and strangled to death.

No “meaningful suspects” were produced by the initial investigation into her death.

The Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory began a complete forensic investigation into the case in 2020, which produced a biological sample from Alvarado’s shirt.

“We were able to utilize in 2022 a ‘Seasons of Justice’ grant with Othram labs in Texas to see if a genetic, genealogy profile that could generate any leads could be developed,” District Attorney Thomas Quinn said.

The investigation determined that the sample came from Farias, and his DNA was found to be consistent with two DNA samples taken from Alvarado’s person.

Alvarado was held without bail.