Overview
- Massachusetts State Police troopers on foot patrol recognized and arrested 29-year-old Hernan Asael Villagran Lux on the Cochituate Rail Trail on Sunday on an outstanding warrant tied to criminal harassment allegations.
- He was arraigned Monday in Framingham District Court, pleaded not guilty, fainted during proceedings according to reports, and is due back in court on Aug. 6.
- A judge ordered Lux sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for a competency‑to‑stand‑trial evaluation, a standard step when there are questions about a defendant’s ability to understand charges or assist in their defense.
- Prosecutors say three female Department of Conservation and Recreation employees reported repeated, unsettling contacts over recent weeks, including an allegation that Lux stripped to his underwear, covered himself in cooking oil and exercised near staff; those claims are unproven and the full police report has been impounded until next summer.
- Court records show several prior shoplifting matters were dismissed and a separate shoplifting case remains pending in Natick, while social media posts and local witnesses say the same mime‑like figure had been seen around Framingham and Natick, heightening community concern about safety on the trail.