Police: Ex-boyfriend arrested in case of woman found dead inside suitcase

A suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of a New Rochelle woman whose body was found stuffed inside a suitcase and left on the side of a Greenwich road.

News 12 Staff

Feb 12, 2019, 4:03 PM

Updated 1,906 days ago

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A suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of a New Rochelle woman whose body was found stuffed inside a suitcase and left on the side of a Greenwich road.
Javier DaSilva, the victim's ex-boyfriend, was arrested in Queens by New Rochelle and Greenwich detectives. The arrest came after someone used the victim's debit card in New Rochelle, a warrant says. DaSilva has been formally charged with kidnapping with a death result
Valerie Reyes, 24, was found stuffed inside a large suitcase in Greenwich last week after she had been reported missing since Jan. 30 by her family in New Rochelle. It's not clear if Reyes died before or after her body was dumped in the woods.
Greenwich police say DaSilva confessed to "playing a role in her death," but they also say they don't have any other suspects at this time. Prosecutors say DaSilva is not a U.S. citizen.
According to the arrest warrant, DaSilva claims Reyes fell and hit her head after the two were intimate at her apartment on Jan. 29.
The warrant also says Reyes had visible bruises and her mouth was taped shut.
DaSilva is being held without bail. His next preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 13. News 12 is told federal authorities will prosecute this case because it crossed state lines.
Reyes' mother Norma Sanchez told News 12 last week that her daughter feared for her life just before disappearing.
"I'm in pain. I hurt like I've never hurt before," Sanchez said last week. "It just eats me inside. Val did not deserve this at all."
Family and friends of Reyes braved snow and rain to attend her wake Tuesday afternoon Her funeral is tomorrow morning at St. Gabriel's Church of New Rochelle.
"I want to emphasize the investigation continues," says Greenwich Police Capt. Robert Barry. "The investigation has not finished yet; there's a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up."
 
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