Suspect charged with second-degree murder after woman found dead near St. Catharines, Ont.

A Hamilton Police officer is seen in this undated photo. (Twitter/@HamiltonPolice)

Niagara police have identified and charged a suspect with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a 27-year-old woman last month.

In a news release issued Wednesday, police provided an update on the investigation into the death of Jessica Lynn St. Jules, a Hamilton resident whose body was located in a rural area of Lincoln, Ont., west of St. Catharines, on June 8 at 3:10 p.m.

A homicide investigation followed the discovery and police were able to determine that St. Jules was last seen entering a vehicle near a Hamilton Public Library branch, in the city’s Gibson neighbourhood, at approximately 4:20 a.m. on the day her body was found.

Her cause of death was not disclosed by police.

During the course of the investigation, police said the male driver of the vehicle was seen on surveillance video as investigators worked to identify him.

On Wednesday, police announced that 20-year-old Pedro Benitez Leal of Hamilton had been charged with second-degree murder in connection with St. Jules’ death.

It’s unclear if St. Jules and Leal knew each other.

He was held for a bail hearing, the results of which were not released.

“Detectives would like to thank the media and members of the public for their assistance with this investigation,” police said.