Around 8 a.m. on 5/2/2019, a highway crew in Greenwich, Connecticut, discovered a red suitcase hidden in the woods, 4 to 6 meters from the road. Its contents prompted an immediate 911 call.
Greenwich Police Department officers found the frozen body of a young woman inside. She was in the fetal position, hands bound behind her back with rope. Even seasoned officers were shocked by the scene.
The victim had head trauma, scratches on her arms, and broken fingernails, suggesting a struggle for her life.
The victim was identified as 24-year-old Valerie Reyes, reported missing a week earlier.
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Police investigate the scene where Valerie Reyes's body was found in a red suitcase in Greenwich, Connecticut, on 5/2/2019. Photo: NBC |
Police investigate the scene where Valerie Reyes's body was found in a red suitcase in Greenwich, Connecticut, on 5/2/2019. Photo: NBC
Valerie's family had last contacted her on 29/1/2019. They were concerned because she suffered from depression after her parents' divorce, and a recent breakup with her boyfriend, John, had worsened her emotional state.
When the family visited Valerie's New Rochelle, New York, apartment on 29/1, they encountered John. He claimed they had argued the day before her disappearance and he had come to apologize but couldn't find her.
The family contacted hospitals, posted flyers around New Rochelle, and shared her information on social media. On 30/1, after checking her workplace, they filed a missing person report, fearing she might have harmed herself.
Police discovered thousands of USD withdrawn from her account, but needed to determine who made the withdrawals.
A bloody scene at the apartment
After Valerie's body was found on 5/2, police searched her apartment, finding no signs of forced entry. The family mentioned finding and cleaning up broken glass on 29/1. Valerie's laptop and cell phone were missing.
Finding no other clues, investigators used Luminol, a chemical that reveals bloodstains even after cleaning. The test revealed significant blood in the bathtub and sink, enough to detect fingerprints.
DNA analysis showed a mixture of Valerie's blood and an unknown person's, eliminating John as a suspect.
Investigators focused on Valerie's dating history, obtaining a list of men she had dated from a friend.
Tracking the suspect through surveillance data
Phone records showed Valerie's phone switched to airplane mode around 3 a.m. on 29/1, coinciding with bank withdrawals.
Surveillance footage showed a man in a black hoodie parking across from the bank and withdrawing money from an ATM.
Using traffic cameras, New Rochelle police identified the license plate of the suspect’s black Honda CR-V, rented in Queens, New York.
The rental history led to Javier Da Silva Rojas, a 24-year-old Venezuelan and one of Valerie's ex-boyfriends from the list. They had dated a year earlier. Javier had been angry after their breakup, harassing her until she blocked his number.
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Javier Da Silva Rojas and Valerie Reyes broke up in 4/2018. Photo: Facebook |
Javier Da Silva Rojas and Valerie Reyes broke up in 4/2018. Photo: Facebook
Javier had entered the US on a student visa in 2017 but overstayed and was facing deportation.
Rental agency surveillance footage confirmed Javier as the man at the ATM. On 11/2/2019, he was arrested in Queens and taken to the New Rochelle Police Department on charges related to the deportation order.
Alive when placed in the suitcase
The FBI joined the investigation since Valerie was taken across state lines. Agents found Valerie's ID and credit cards in Javier's home.
On 12/2, Javier initially denied knowing Valerie but changed his story when confronted with evidence. He claimed consensual sex on 29/1, after which she fell and hit her head.
Panicked, Javier said he found a suitcase, bound and gagged Valerie, and drove over 22 km to discard the suitcase in Connecticut.
Investigators doubted the consensual sex claim, citing a large bruise on Valerie's forehead and cuts on her hands.
They also questioned his claim that she was already dead: "He taped her from her chin to the top of her nose. If she was unconscious, knocked out, or dead, there would be no need to do that," an investigator said.
The medical examiner found ice crystals in Valerie's lungs, indicating she was alive when placed in the suitcase. The cause of death was asphyxiation.
Police determined Javier went to New Rochelle intending to rob Valerie and met with fierce resistance. After abandoning her, he drained her bank account.
In 2/2020, Javier pleaded guilty to kidnapping resulting in death, motivated by greed.
Sobbing throughout his sentencing, Javier said he would "never forgive himself." The defense highlighted his positive qualities, but the judge called him "evil."
On 23/9/2021, Javier received a 30-year federal prison sentence without parole and will be deported to Venezuela afterward.
Tue Anh (according to Oxygen, CBS)
