Police: Man Arrested in Connection to Woman Found Dead in Suitcase

Police have made an arrest in the death of Valerie Reyes, whose body was found bound stuffed in suitcase along a Connecticut road last week.

According to prosecutors for the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, 24-year-old Queens, N.Y., resident Javier Da Silva was arrested and charged with one count of kidnapping, “resulting in the death of Valerie Reyes.”

Prosecutors said that Da Silva, reportedly Reyes’ ex-boyfriend, bound her by her legs and hands, put packing tape over her mouth, put her in a suitcase, and drove to Greenwich where he dumped her body.

On Feb. 5, highway workers spotted a suitcase containing the body of Reyes, a 24-year-old, New Rochelle, N.Y resident just off a road in Greenwich, Conn.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Greenwich police said Da Silva was taken into custody for allegedly using a debit card belonging to Reyes.

“We are confident that the pursuit of justice for Valerie will be successful and we continue to work with the family to provide closure to this tragedy.” Greenwich police said in a statement.

Police also said autopsy reports confirming Reyes’ cause of death are pending.