New Jersey man charged with murder of mom who went missing on Mother’s Day

Norelis Mendoza was a mother to 1- and 3-year-old; Gregory Mallard reportedly has a violent past and served time for aggravated manslaughter

A New Jersey man was charged Friday in the death of a woman reported missing Sunday and whose body was later found off a highway in Bayonne, officials said. 

Gregory Mallard, 35, was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and multiple other charges, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said in a release. 

Norelis Mendoza, 32, was last seen a week ago at her mom's home in New Jersey. Her body was found by authorities Wednesday in a wooded area off Route 440 near the Jersey City border. 

Her death is being investigated as domestic violence. 

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Norelis Mendoza, a mother of two, was found dead Wednesday. Her murder is being investigated as domestic violence, officials said.  (Jersey City Police Department)

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Mallard has a violent past, having previously served 10 years for aggravated manslaughter, NJ.com reported. 

Mendoza’s cousin Geovanni Molina told WCBS-TV her murder is a "nightmare. Absolutely devastated."

Molina also revealed that she was a mother of two. 

"A 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, they don't get to see their mother anymore," Molina said. "They didn't get to spend Mother's Day with their mom."