Autopsy results expected for lawyer's girlfriend

Results of the autopsy on Julia Law, the 26-year-old girlfriend of criminal defense attorney A. Charles Peruto Jr., were not expected to be released until Tuesday afternoon at the earliest, police said Monday

Law, a paralegal at Peruto's Philadelphia firm, was found naked and facedown in a bathtub full of water at Peruto's home, on the 2000 block of Delancey Place, about 10 a.m. Saturday.

A maintenance man discovered the body, police said. Peruto told police he was in Avalon, N.J., at the time.

Peruto could not be reached Monday. In a text message to The Inquirer on Sunday, he expressed dismay at the news of Law's death, writing, "Julia was a beautiful, caring free spirit hippy, who I was blessed to have known." He added, "Words can't express how sad I am to finally have met someone who I believed truly loved me."

On Monday, neighbors on Delancey Street declined to speak about Peruto and Law.

According to her social-media profiles, Law was a graduate of Drexel University and attended Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, N.J.

A telephone message left Monday with her family there was not immediately returned.

Colleagues at Peruto's firm described her as fun and hard-working, and posessing an impish smile.

She would have turned 27 on Tuesday, and colleagues had planned a birthday celebration at the Capital Grille for that night, according to a close friend. Now, however, they are mourning and arranging Law's memorial service.

Details about funeral arrangements were not immediately available Monday.