WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Details into an intensive Wilkes-Barre police investigation where five people have been accused of holding a woman hostage and beating her to death are now coming to light.
Court documents revealed gruesome details Tuesday into the death of a Michigan woman, Nicole Cuevas-Ingram, whose body was found bound and buried in a shallow grave in the basement of 142 Carlisle Street in South Wilkes-Barre.
28/22 News has broken down the information on how the alleged torture of Cuevas-Ingram began and ended, according to a police affidavit.
On February 21, a cooperating witness (CW) informed police of a possible homicide that occurred months ago at 142 Carlisle Street, where the witness was told a woman named Nicole Cuevas-Ingram was murdered in April of 2023.
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According to court filings, the beating and homicide of Cuevas-Ingram was witnessed by an eight-year-old boy. The boy then relayed what he had seen to Desiree Linnette, who in turn told the CW, who reported it to police.
Through further investigation, detectives stated they learned the following information;
In March 2023, Cuevas-Ingram, 38, Linnette, 43, three children, and Linnette's daughter Sarai Doyle, 24, moved into the home on Carlisle Street after traveling to Pennsylvania from Michigan. Already living in the house were Jason Race, 54, Faith Beamer, 38, and William Wolfe.
Race, Beamer, Wolfe, and Doyle told investigators that Linnette began attacking Cuevas-Ingram's character, including an allegation that "Cuevas-Ingram inappropriately touched a small child." Based on multiple interviews police stated they believe by doing this, Linnette "intended to tarnish Cuevas' reputation and turn the house against her."
Nicole Cuevas-Ingram
Officers discovered Facebook messages between Cuevas-Ingram and a friend that revealed she moved to Wilkes-Barre "in part to pursue a possible relationship with Linnette." However, further messages showed Cuevas-Ingram was ready to move back to Michigan and "plans on having no more contact with Linnette." Soon the messages stopped and police believed Linnette had taken Cuevas-Ingram's phone and the assaults on Cuevas-Ingram began.
Desiree Linnette and Sarai Doyle
Three days after arriving at Carlisle Street from Michigan, Linnette and Cuevas-Ingram got into a fistfight where Beamer and Doyle helped take down Cuevas-Ingram. After that fight, Cuevas-Ingram was "subjected to daily beatings and torture resulting in numerous injuries" by Linnette, Beamer, Race, Doyle, and Wolfe.
Police say Cuevas-Ingram was beaten, stomped, and slashed while handcuffed in different areas of the house. One of her wounds was then stitched up with a fishing line by her alleged attackers.
As stated in the affidavit, Cuevas-Ingram was not free to leave 142 Carlisle Street and multiple witnesses described how she was handcuffed to items in the home and had to ask for permission to use the bathroom. Police say they believe Linnette directed that Cuevas-Ingram would only be fed bread and water. At one point Linnette and Doyle shaved Cuevas-Ingram's head as part of the torture because "no one could be prettier than Linnette," a witness told police. Eventually, Cuevas-Ingram was so badly injured that they used a dolly to move her around the home, investigators said.
One day Beamer, Race, and Wolfe were mad because "a handcuffed Cuevas-Ingram had soiled her clothing because she could not go to the bathroom." Race was seen "stomping on Cuevas-Ingram's head in the final minutes of her life." Police say Race then used a stethoscope to determine she was dead.
Faith Beamer, Jason Race, and William Wolfe
The three allegedly buried Cuevas-Ingram's body in the basement of 142 Carlisle Street and many witnesses living at the house during the time of Cuevas-Ingram's death were instructed to not go near the basement.
After the CW tipped police off to the possible homicide, a search warrant was issued on 142 Carlisle Street. Through the search warrant, police removed the layer of soil from the mound in the basement that had a mixture of lime and mothballs into the soil.
After digging down 13 inches, a blue tarp was revealed where Cuevas-Ingram's body was found bound and wrapped inside. On March 5, 2024, Cuevas-Ingram's body was positively identified by Mercyhurst University.
Investigators noted Beamer, Doyle, Linnette, and Race were all using crack cocaine during April 2023, which was mostly supplied by Linnette.
All five suspects are locked up and facing charges related to the death of Cuevas-Ingram.
