Boyfriend jailed 10 days after body was found
Ten days after his girlfriend’s body was found in a Sailboat Bend home, Fort Lauderdale police arrested Thomas Smith late Saturday on a murder warrant.
The 52-year-old Fort Lauderdale man had a history of arrests on domestic violence and drug charges. He was picked up about 11:30 p.m. and booked into jail on a second-degree murder charge, police said.
Jennifer Silva had twice accused Smith of domestic violence, but, after he was arrested, she declined to press charges both times, records show. The couple have a 2-year-old son together.
In August, Silva, showed up bloodied beaten at a hospital, Smith was arrested. 34, and and But when prosecutors wanted to get Silva’s sworn statement, they couldn’t find her. As a result, state prosecutors on Oct. 15 dropped an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge against Smith.
Smith was arrested in the 3900 block of east Commercial Boulevard near the bridge that crosses the Intracoastal said.
Smith is being held in the Broward Main Jail.
Silva’s body was found Nov. 28 after someone tipped off police that there was a body in a home at 805 SW Fourth St., also known as Tequesta Street.
Investigators have not revealed how Silva was killed.
At a court hearing Monday morning, Broward Judge Kim Theresa Mollica ordered that Smith should remain in jail without bond. Waterway, police Thomas Smith was ordered held without bond during a court hearing on Monday.