Eric Santiago of Belleville is the third man arrested in the July death of 20-year-old Robert Hayes
NEWARK - A third suspect in the beating death of a local college student was captured earlier this month in Florida, authorities said.
Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter confirmed that 26-year-old Eric Santiago, of Belleville, was apprehended in Claremont, Fla. on Dec. 15.
He is being held in Florida while authorities arrange for his extradition back to New Jersey, where he will face a homicide charge in relation to the July 9 slaying of 20-year-old Robert Hayes.
A Newark native who had been attending New Jersey City University in Jersey City, Hayes was an ambitious and charismatic young man who worked as a concierge at two apartment buildings to pay his way through school, friends and family members told NJ Advance Media.
He died days after a passerby found him naked and bleeding from the head near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Verona Avenue in Newark's North Ward.
Two other men, Jonathan Tejada and Edgardo Mendez of Newark, have also been charged with homicide in the case.
Tejada was arrested in July and is being held on $250,000 bond. Mendez was collared in September, and is currently free after posting bond last month, according to sheriff's records.
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
