Body of Medford woman found in recycling bin underneath her back porch

The body of a missing Medford mother was found at her home Monday.

61-year-old Barbara Novaes’ body was found in a recycling bin underneath the back porch of her Emery Street home, District Attorney Marian Ryan told reporters at a press conference Monday evening.

Nuevas’ son called police around 6:40 a.m. after he was unable to find his mother and noticed their home’s front door was hanging open.

Nuevas’ body was found around 8:30 a.m. according to DA Ryan. Ryan also said they are “very early” in the investigation. While there were no clear signs of trauma, Nuevas’ death is considered suspicious, Ryan said.

“He reported that when he woke up this morning, the front door of the home was standing open. And he had seen that his mother’s car was still there,” Ryan said. “He said he had also located his mother’s car keys, her phone, and her purse.”

Ryan urged residents to “exercise the same caution that we would urge them to exercise all the time,” and reminded people to keep their doors locked and be cautious of others around their house.

Earlier Monday, a post from Nuevas’ daughter circulated on social media saying that it was “not like here at all” to be missing.

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“Barbara Nuevas was a beloved member of the Medford community and a very active parishioner at Grace Church. I didn’t know her personally, but I know many who [say] she touched their lives,” said Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn.

Police are asking for the public’s help in finding security footage of the area and information.