LUMBERTON, NC (WBTW) – A year has gone by since Michael McLellan was charged in the death of Hania Aguilar.
McLellan was arrested on 10 felony charges related to the death of Hania Aguilar on Dec. 8, 2018.
An FBI press release said McLellan was arrested for Aguilar’s murder shortly after forensic test results were processed.
34-year-old McLellan was already in custody in connection with an attempted robbery at the time.
The charges are as follows:
- First-degree murder
- First-degree forcible rape
- Statutory rape of a person under 15 years of age or younger
- First-degree sexual offense
- Statutory sex offense with a person 15 years or younger
- First-degree kidnapping
- Felony larceny
- Felony restraint
- Abduction of child
- Concealment of a death
McLellan made his first court appearance following the arrest on Dec. 10, where he was denied bond.
Robeson County Distrist Attorney Johnson Britt held a press conference a few days later discussing the connection between McLellan and a rape case that was never followed through.
He claimed if the rape case had been handled differently, Aguilar might still be alive.
McLellan was indicted on murder charges in Aguilar’s death in May of 2019.
In June, News13 learned prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against McLellan.
Aguilar was kidnapped from a yard in the Rosewood Mobile Home Park in the Lumberton area on November 5, 2018. Officials said she was forced into a stolen SUV and an Amber Alert was issued by state officials shortly after 10 a.m. on November 5.
A body, which was later identified as that of Hania Aguilar, was found off Wire Grass Road in the Lumberton area on November 27, 2018.
