A person who tied up his ex-girlfriend in her New York house throughout a violent combat and stuffed her in a suitcase the place she suffocated and was discovered lifeless in Greenwich per week later was sentenced to 30 years in jail Thursday.
Javier Da Silva, 26, a Venezuelan immigrant who authorities say had overstayed his visa on the time of the 2019 killing, was sentenced by U.S. District Choose Vincent Briccetti in federal courtroom in White Plains, New York.
Da Silva pleaded responsible to a kidnapping cost final yr within the loss of life of 24-year-old Valerie Reyes, a bookstore employee who lived in New Rochelle and aspired to change into a tattoo artist.
Reyes’ mom, Norma Sanchez, known as Da Silva a “egocentric, grasping and soulless particular person” as she spoke on the sentencing listening to.
“You, Javier, deserve nothing however ache and rejection,” Sanchez mentioned.
Da Silva cried as he apologized to Reyes’ household throughout the listening to.
“No phrases can specific how repulsed I’m by the acts I dedicated,” he mentioned. “I’ll by no means forgive myself for that. I can not ask (her household) to forgive me as a result of I don’t deserve it. I would love them to know I’m very sorry.”
Briccetti known as Da Silva “an evil particular person” and mentioned the killing of Reyes was “sickening.”
Prosecutors disagreed with Da Silva’s lawyers’ comments that Da Silva was remorseful, saying he confirmed no regret after leaving Reyes for lifeless within the suitcase after which utilizing her debit card to withdraw greater than $5,000 and promoting her iPad.
“Javier Da Silva dedicated a horrific kidnapping that resulted within the loss of life of a younger lady,” U.S. Lawyer Audrey Strauss mentioned in a press release Thursday. “Valerie Reyes … was within the prime of her life when it was senselessly ended by Da Silva’s abhorrent act.”
Da Silva beforehand admitted that he and Reyes received right into a violent combat at her house in late January 2019, about 9 months after they broke up. Throughout a courtroom listening to final yr, he mentioned he certain her toes and arms, put tape over her mouth and put in her in a suitcase whereas she was nonetheless alive.
Da Silva mentioned he dumped the suitcase in a wooded space of Greenwich, the place it was discovered per week after the combat. A health worker mentioned Reyes suffocated and died of homicidal asphyxia.
Da Silva’s attorneys mentioned he fled political and financial turmoil in his native Venezuela in 2017 to make a greater life for himself within the U.S. He was residing in New York Metropolis and labored as a short-order prepare dinner and cashier at a restaurant when he killed Reyes, in accordance with courtroom paperwork.
