Salem woman found dead in Georgia; boyfriend accused of murder

A Salem woman was found dead in Georgia earlier this month, leading authorities to arrest a man and charge him with murder.

The death of Karina Moreno, 42, was confirmed by the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and an obituary was posted online.

On October 6, deputies were dispatched to an address on Chastain Drive in Cartersville, Georgia. The city is located northwest of Atlanta. They had received reports of a domestic dispute and were called to conduct a welfare check.

After arriving at the house and receiving no response from inside, the police entered by force. They found Antonios Pete Kostopoulos, 52, inside with “suspected blood on his person.” He was taken into custody without incident, according to the sheriff’s office.

As authorities evacuated the home, they found Moreno’s body on the living room floor, wrapped in a blanket.

Kostopoulos faces nine criminal charges, including murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and tampering with evidence. An investigation is underway.

Moreno grew up in Salem and graduated from Salem High School, according to her obituary. She earned an associate’s degree from Northshore Community College, enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College, and then earned a master’s degree in business administration from Endicott College.

For 20 years, Moreno worked at Medtronic, a medical equipment manufacturer in Danvers. She rose through the ranks to become a global project manager.

“Karina was appreciated for her sassy attitude, her kind heart and her innate generosity. She had a deep love for her family and friends, always taking the time to support and uplift those around her. Known for her impeccable sense of style, Karina’s fashion-conscious mind added a touch of elegance to every occasion,” Moreno’s obituary read.

Moreno’s niece told NBC10 Boston that she moved down south after living her entire life in Salem. Her father told Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra in Spanish that she lived with her boyfriend and identified him as Kostopoulos.

“It’s news that broke your heart, I mean, you didn’t expect… something like that,” her father, Jose Moreno, told the station in Spanish.