A man from Lowell, Massachusetts, has been indicted for his mother's murder after she was beaten to death in July, prosecutors say.
Elena Vainer, a 51-year-old from Reading, is believed to have been fatally beaten while visiting her son's condo on Middlesex Street, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and Lowell police. Her son, 24-year-old Michael Belous, was arrested after she was found on July 17, 2023. At the time he was charged with assault and battery on a household or family member and assault and battery causing serious bodily injury.
Prosecutors say police were called to the home on Middlesex Street and found Vainer with severe injuries on her head, face, arm and neck. Officers also noticed injuries to Belous' hands.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
Investigators believe that Vainer was visiting her son when a fight broke out and he beat her severely. Surveillance footage showed that Vainer and Belous were the only ones at the home at the time. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined her cause of death was blunt force trauma and mechanical asphyxia.
Belous has been in custody since his arraignment on the assault charges on July 17. He was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on the upgraded charges. His next court date was scheduled for January 23.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
