Pictured: Carmen Montelongo
DIAMOND BAR - Samuel Wiggins Jr. was a lifelong bachelor. Until recently, he told relatives he would never get married.
His attitude changed after he began dating Carmen Montelongo about two years ago, said Wiggins' nephew, Ramon Martin.
Wiggins, 62, bought an engagement ring and planned to propose to Montelongo, who he met online, Martin said.
"He loved her a lot," Martin said. "Unfortunately, it cost him his life."
Police arrested Montelongo of Riverside last weekend after she allegedly exhumed Wiggins' dismembered remains from a relative's backyard in Ontario, then loaded the remains into a trash can that she wheeled 200 yards down residential streets.
Police recovered Wiggins' head and arms on Wednesday at the Bell Gardens home of another Montelongo relative.
The body parts were concealed in two large flower pots that Montelongo delivered to the home around Mother's Day last month, authorities said.
Authorities contend Montelongo fatally stabbed Wiggins more than a month ago at his Diamond Bar home, where he lived alone, and dismembered him there.
"He's very missed by his family," Martin said. "What she did to my uncle was very uncalled for. It's something that should have never happened. There's no excuse for it."
Montelongo, who authorities said is either 44 or 51, told an officer when she was arrested May 29 that Wiggins assaulted her.
Wiggins' friends and family members dispute Montelongo's claim. They said they believe Montelongo killed Wiggins for financial gain.
Martin said that before he died, Wiggins told him Montelongo would steal items from his home such as DVDs. And police said that after Martin's disappearance, Montelongo used his credit cards and drove his car.
"She constantly stole from him, and he accepted it," said Martin, 40, of Lancaster.
Vietnam veteran
Wiggins was raised in Compton and was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War, where he fought in the late 1960s, Martin said.
Martin's parents both died when he was 9 years old - his father in a car accident, and his mother of breast cancer.
Martin said Wiggins cared for him after his parents died, and was like a second father to him.
"He was a very loving man. He loved me a lot," Martin said. "He basically raised me."
Wiggins attended college after his return from Vietnam and later worked for Boeing in Seal Beach.
A former colleague, John Tierney, said Wiggins was a subcontract administrator and was responsible for buying aerospace components. He retired about five years ago.
Wiggins fathered a son, Michael Wiggins, who he helped raise, and his son is now married with three children. Samuel Wiggins, known to friends and family as Sam, often visited his son's family in Texas, Martin said.
Michael Wiggins declined to comment Friday at his father's home in Diamond Bar.
Loving boyfriend
Samuel Wiggins doted on Montelongo after the couple began dating, Martin said.
"People get older and they look for companionship," Martin said. "They look to settle down, and he picked the wrong lady."
He looked the other way when she stole from him, and he supported her family financially, Martin said. Wiggins bought Montelongo's daughter a car and helped pay for her college education, Martin said.
Montelongo and her daughter moved into his home for a brief period, said Martin and several of Wiggins' neighbors.
"He told me that he loved (Montelongo) and wanted to marry her, but I don't remember him saying really peachy stuff," Martin said. "His actions spoke louder than words with him. I can say that much."
Disappearance
Authorities said they believe Wiggins was killed between mid-April and early May.
Martin said that in his last phone conversation with his uncle, he and Wiggins argued about his relationship with Montelongo, and Wiggins was offended.
After the argument, "I didn't hear from him for about two weeks," Martin said. "I told my wife, 'My uncle's being stubborn.'" Martin said he tried calling his uncle several times but couldn't reach him. He said Montelongo would sometimes pick up the phone, and would make excuses to explain why Wiggins was unavailable.
Once she said Wiggins was in San Diego, and another time she said he had been hospitalized, Martin said.
Wiggins' former next-door neighbor, David Falcon, said no one in the neighborhood saw Wiggins for several weeks. But they saw Montelongo coming and going from Wiggins' home. She drove his 2009 Honda Accord, and her visits were often in the middle of the night, Falcon said.
Martin said that as he continued to press Montelongo for details regarding his uncle's whereabouts, she began asking him to come over to Wiggins' home to help with tasks such as moving boxes.
Martin said he believes Montelongo was trying to lure him to the home to kill him.
Nephew investigates
Martin said he went to his uncle's home on May 25 to investigate Wiggins' apparent disappearance. His uncle's pool, which was typically full, was drained, Martin said.
His favorite pair of shoes was still in the home, which called into doubt Montelongo's story that Wiggins was traveling.
Martin said he saw other unusual signs, such as a pack of cigarettes and lighter that were left on a table in the backyard. He said it was uncharacteristic of his uncle to leave such things outdoors.
Martin said he filed a missing person's report that day with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
At about midnight, he said he received a call from Montelongo's daughter, who said, "(Expletive) your uncle," according to Martin.
"I'm the one who initiated the whole search for my uncle," Martin said.
Martin said he returned to his uncle's home the following day and found blood spattering on walls in two of the rooms. After the discovery, the Sheriff's Department returned to the home and expanded their investigation, Martin said.
One of Montelongo's neighbors in Riverside said that in the week prior to Montelongo's arrest, law enforcement officers came to her neighborhood multiple times looking for Montelongo.
Martin said he believes Montelongo may have exhumed Wiggins' dismembered remains in Ontario because she feared sheriff's investigators would discover the remains.
After police on Wednesday identified the remains recovered in Ontario and Bell Gardens as Wiggins', Martin, Wiggins' son and other family members began packing up Wiggins' belongings, Martin said.
They spent Thursday and Friday loading a U-Haul truck.
Martin said his family has yet to schedule funeral services for Wiggins.
"I would always call my uncle when I had a problem," Martin said. "Now it's like I really have to grow up."