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Estranged husband arrested in Md. mother Jane McQuain's murder, son still missing

Missing 11-year-old William McQuain AP Photo

(CBS/WUSA/AP) ROCKVILLE, Md. - The estranged husband of slain mother, Jane McQuain, was arrested in North Carolina on Thursday and charged with first-degree murder, but police are still searching for her missing 11-year-old son William.

Curtis Lopez, 45, was taken into custody around 9:30 a.m. Thursday as he was leaving an EconoLodge in Charlotte, N.C. The arrest came after McQuain was found dead in the bedroom of her condominium on Wednesday night in Germantown, Md., 30 miles northwest of Washington.

Police found her car, but not her son. He was last seen Sept. 30, police said. William is Lopez's stepson.

 Lopez is McQuain's estranged husband who lives in North Carolina and Montgomery County Police said he was seen taking property from her home, according to CBS affiliate WUSA.

He was contacted Wednesday night and then arrested Thursday morning. Detectives spoke with Lopez. He was then deemed a suspect in part because of his inconsistent statements, police said.

McQuain suffered trauma to her body but police would not reveal more information about the death pending the release of autopsy results. After her son was not found, the Maryland State Police issued an Amber Alert for the boy. Montgomery County police also obtained a warrant charging Lopez with murder.

It was not immediately clear when he would be returned to Maryland to face charges. Montgomery County detectives went to North Carolina on Thursday to speak with Lopez and search for evidence.

William is 5'0" tall, weighs 85 pounds. William has brown hair and brown eyes.

More on Crimesider
October 13, 2011 - Md. police have a suspect in killing of Jane McQuain and the disappearance of her son

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