A murder charge has been filed against an accountant employed by a leading defense contractor in connection with the death of a teacher whose body was found inside a charred vehicle. Matthew Switalski, 37, was living with his alleged victim, Veronica Aguilar, 27, whose charred remains were reportedly found in the garage of their shared home on Wednesday.
Residents in the Quartz Hill neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, reported being awakened in the middle of the night by what they described as 'blood-curdling screams' coming from Switalski's home. Switalski was arrested late on Thursday in Kern County and then charged with the murder of Veronica Aguilar, according to the police.
Brutally Killed His Girlfriend
Until May, Switalski worked as a cost and schedule controller for the weapons manufacturer Northrop Grumman. He quit the company shortly before being released on a $600,000 bail related to multiple rape charges.
Switalski was quickly named as a 'person of interest' in the ongoing investigation last week. The home where Aguilar's remains were found was registered in his name.
Emergency responders, including firefighters, rushed to the scene at around 8:20 am on Wednesday, encountering a fully engulfed garage in flames. Controlling the substantial fire took the crews over an hour.
Emergency crews were seen using a large circular saw to gain access to the trunk of the vehicle, where the remains of Aguilar were found. The official cause of her death has not been determined.
The fire, which was initially responded to as a home explosion, was reportedly triggered by an 'explosion' in the garage.
A neighbor said he rushed outside upon hearing the initial 'blood-curdling scream' but did not hear the sound again upon investigation.
Concerns for Aguilar's safety arose when the school where she worked contacted her family after she failed to attend work.
The family said that Aguilar had been in a relationship for almost a year, but they had limited knowledge about the man she was dating.
On social media, Aguilar and Switalski seem to have been in a relationship, which was evident from their posts. Aguilar's account includes several recent, cheerful selfies with Switalski.
Killer Lover
Court records reported by the LA Times revealed that Switalski faced charges of rape and sexual misconduct in the spring of 2023 against an unnamed romantic partner. After his arraignment in June, he was released on a $600,000 bail.
Switalski, a bible school graduate, rented out rooms in his five-bedroom home to other Northrop Grumman employees, according to neighbors. None of them were reportedly present at the time of the fire.
He had been employed as a cost and schedule controller at Northrop Grumman since 2010, but KABC reported he left the company in May.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he graduated from Calvary Chapel Bible College in 2006, where he served as a 'worship leader.'
The account stated that he stopped working with them in May, coinciding with the reported end of his employment with Northrop Grumman, one of the world's largest defense contractors.
Switalski is currently in custody with a bail set at $10 million.
Aguilar's brother, Juan, mentioned that she worked as an elementary school teacher in Palmdale, California. He described her as having "the best spirit" and always carrying a smile.
Describing his sister's death as "the darkest of times," he said in a GoFundMe: "Her story is all over the news of her brutal death. Things will never be the same ever again. We miss her so much.
"She had the best spirit she always had a smile. My family is heartbroken."
