A man named Javier da Silva, of Flushing, Queens, reportedly has confessed to the murder of a young Westchester County, New York, woman named Valerie Reyes, who was 24, according to reports on Tuesday.
Her body was found stuffed in a suitcase and bound hand and foot.
The suitcase was found on the side of a road in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The young woman, who worked at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Eastchester, New York, had been reported missing since late January, as CBS reported.
Sources said the murder suspect is originally from Venezuela and has been in this country illegally ever since overstaying his visa.
Arrest made in killing of Valerie Reyes, missing woman found inside suitcase https://t.co/FNaal3aSxk pic.twitter.com/IRLJQH7c56
— New York Post (@nypost) February 13, 2019
Mother of Greenwich murder victim says her daughter, Valerie Reyes, had just broken up with her boyfriend prior to her body being found bound in a suitcase. https://t.co/Wj0o2WiaFk
— Ken Margolfo (@DeskguyKen) February 7, 2019
Da Silva made an appearance in federal court in White Plains, New York, on Tuesday to face multiple charges, CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported.
Aiello also reported that da Silva confessed.
The man was caught after he tried to use the debit card of his victim.
Correction: suspect is Javier da Silva, apologize for minor misspelling https://t.co/Nb0rEHSMui
— Tony Aiello (@AielloTV) February 12, 2019
Aiello spoke with Reyes’ mother, Norma Sanchez, earlier on Tuesday.
“We are, of course, devastated for my daughter’s death, but I’m just blessed beyond grateful that they found her murderer,” Sanchez told CBS. “We didn’t think it was going to be this quick, but it’s just a blessing. I kept praying that she would tell me, she would give me hints, a name or something … I just feel so blessed, overwhelmed.”
“We’re just grateful we have someone,” the grieving mother added.
Related: Here’s a Heartbreaking List of People Killed by Illegal Immigrants
“I promised my daughter we would make justice for her and I’m just so grateful to the authorities, investigators, everybody. I am.”
The mother said the two young people dated over a period of eight months.
Autopsy results on Reyes are still pending, noted CBS.
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