Lawyers discussing plea deal for suspect in suitcase murder
GREENWICH — Lawyers for the accused killer in the murder of Valerie Reyes, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase beside a road in Greenwich in February, are undertaking a process that may result in a plea bargain.
Javier Da Silva, 24, a recent immigrant from Venezuela, was arrested Feb. 12, a week after the body of his former girlfriend was found off Glenville Road. Da Silva has been in custody since then on a federal charge of kidnapping resulting in murder.
“The government and defense counsel have had discussions regarding a possible disposition of this case as recently as March 2019,” according to court papers filed this week by a federal prosecutor. “The negotiations have not been completed and we plan to continue our discussions.”
The prosecutor has been given another month for negotiations, into early May.
Da Silva made an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in White Plains, N.Y., for a proceeding called a presentment. He has not entered a plea of “guilty” or “not guilty” in the case, and he has not yet been formally arraigned.
Aspokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice, Nicholas Biase, said a plea deal was being discussed in the case. “There are discussions, working to find a resolution of the case without a trial,” Biase said Friday.
Ajudge must sign off on any agreement that is reached. Discussions and negotiations over a settlement can also lead to an impasse and then a trial.
Da Silva’s lead attorney, Jason Ser, did not respond to a request for comment.
According to the federal complaint, Da Silva, who was living in Queens, N.Y., and working as a barista in New York City, claimed Reyes fell in her New Rochelle apartment on Jan. 29 while the two were together. He then bound her with tape and transported the body to Greenwich in a suitcase, where it was found about a week later by a town public works foreman.
Da Silva allegedly used Reyes’ debit card to withdraw $1,000 at a New Rochelle bank branch at 5 a.m. Jan. 29, the federal complaint said.
Reyes had sustained a severe wound to her head, which Da Silva blamed on a fall.
“There were obvious signs of head trauma, including bruising around the face and a large hematoma to the deceased female’s forehead,” the federal complaint says.
The Connecticut medical examiner’s office has not released the cause of death.
Reyes worked at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Eastchester, N.Y. She dated Da Silva for a short time about a year ago, her family said. Relatives of the slain woman said Da Silva was controlling and stubborn.
Her family had reported Reyes missing at the end of January. Her body was found on Feb. 5.
Greenwich police worked on the investigation with the FBI and detectives in New Rochelle. Da Silva was arrested in the early morning hours at his apartment in Queens.
Da Silva, who also holds Portuguese citizenship, came to this country in May 2017 and overstayed his visa.
The federal criminal charge he faces carries a sentence of death or life in prison.