Javier Da Silva told police that Valerie Reyes fell to the floor and hit her head, and that's when he placed packing tape over her mouth, bound her legs and hands, and stuffed her body into a suitcase that he dumped in Greenwich, Connecticut, according to a complaint filed in White Plains federal court on Tuesday. That's the story Da Silva told New Rochelle police, partially in English and Spanish, on Tuesday about Jan. 29, the day he said he and Reyes, an ex-girlfriend of his, had sex at her home before he put her in the suitcase that was found in the woods a week later, according to the complaint. Authorities on Tuesday announced the arrest of the 24-year-old Da Silva, who lives in Flushing, Queens. He appeared in White Plains federal court on Tuesday to face a charge of kidnapping resulting in death. VALERIE REYES: Family, friends mourn at New Rochelle funeral Based on the complaint, it is unclear when Reyes is believed to have died. Reyes, a 24-year-old New Rochelle resident, had been reported missing on Jan. 30. Family members and friends rallied support to publicize her disappearance before a highway crew found the suitcase in the Glenville section of Greenwich the morning of Feb. 5. Reyes was known for her artistic talents, and a portrait that she drew of an "unidentified man" found in her apartment was an important clue for police as they tried to identify the person responsible for dumping her body. The portrait she drew "appears to be identical to the profile picture for the social media account" of Da Silva, according to the complaint. Da Silva, who Reyes dated over a year ago, was arrested in his Queens home Monday night. Da Silva "bound her feet and hands, placed packing tape over her mouth, put her in a suitcase and transported her to Greenwich, Connecticut, where he disposed of her body, resulting in the death of the victim," according to the complaint. "There were obvious signs of head trauma, including bruising around the face and a large hematoma to (Reyes') forehead," an FBI agent said in the complaint. "I believe that Da Silva is the individual depicted in the drawing found in the victim's house," the agent said. While the portrait was helpful to police, detectives focused on Reyes' bank card, which was used at a New Rochelle bank around 5 a.m. on Jan. 29, the day she went missing, according to the complaint. Prosecutors said $1,000 was withdrawn. At the same time, a black Honda was parked across the street from the bank, and a man dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt over his head, dark pants and black sneakers with soles came and left the bank, according to the complaint. Da Silva was seen leaving his Flushing condo wearing the same clothes at 10:50 p.m. on Jan. 29. At 6:29 a.m. on Jan. 29, the Honda's license plate was captured by a license plate reader at the intersection of North and Lincoln avenues in New Rochelle, according to the complaint. Detective traced the license plate to a rental car company, which said the car was rented by an unnamed person from Jan. 28 to 29, according to the complaint. The unnamed person is the holder of the account, and Da Silva was an authorized user on the account, according to the complaint. Greenwich Police Capt. Robert Berry said at a news conference that Da Silva "admitted a role in the death of Valerie Reyes." That was supported by the FBI agent's sworn statement in the complaint. "The investigation is not finished yet," Berry said. "There are still loose ends that need to be tied up." Greenwich police said authorities examined multiple crime scenes and hundreds of hours of surveillance footage, and conducted numerous interviews of potential witnesses and analyzed social media footprints from various sources. In addition to New Rochelle police and Greenwich police, the investigation involved the FBI, the FBI's Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, Westchester County police, Westchester County District Attorney's Office, and the Westchester County Real Time Crime Center, federal prosecutors said. Services for Reyes were held on Tuesday at Lloyd Maxcy & Sons Beauchamp Chapel at 16 Shea Place in New Rochelle. A funeral Mass is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Gabriel's Church at 120 Division St. in New Rochelle. She will then be buried at Greenwood Union Cemetery at 215 North St. in Rye. Reyes was a 2012 graduate of New Rochelle High School and worked at Barnes & Noble at the Vernon Hills Shopping Center in Eastchester. Her family had last heard from her on Jan. 28, and she had not been seen since Jan. 29, police said. She was reported missing on Jan. 30. Reyes' body was found shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 5 by a Greenwich highway crew that noticed a suitcase about 15 feet off the side of Glenville Road, near Stillman Lane, in the Glenville section of town, police said. Police revealed Reyes' identity two days later. Authorities have not yet confirmed her cause of death. FUNERAL: Services set for Valerie Reyes VIGIL: 'My daughter did not deserve whatever you did to her' NEW ROCHELLE: Who was Valerie Reyes? MISSING: New Rochelle woman found dead in suitcase in Greenwich VALERIE REYES: Worker who found body allegedly shared photos of scene TIMELINE: What we know about Valerie Reyes' disappearance GREENWICH: The community where Valerie Reyes was found Twitter: @MattSpillane<doc-sep>Da Silva, 24, arrived in Federal Court after his arrest one day earlier in the slaying of Reyes. Her body, with her legs and hands bound by white twine and tape, was stuffed inside a red suitcase and dumped in a wooded area of Greenwich, Conn. Cops said her mouth was covered with packing tape.<doc-sep>While the New Rochelle community mourns the death of 24-year-old Valerie Reyes, police are looking for a second woman who's been missing for more than two weeks. Wendy Vanessa Barrios-Ramirez, 16, was last seen near the intersection of North Avenue and Main Street on Jan. 27, New Rochelle police said on Facebook. She's a Hispanic woman, about 5-foot 2-inches and 130 pounds with black hair and blonde highlights. Police didn't say if there's a connection between Barrios-Ramirez's disappearance and Reyes' case. Reyes went missing on Jan. 29. Anyone with information is asked to call the New Rochelle Police Department at 914-654-2300. Twitter: @ChrisEberhart2<doc-sep>
NEW ROCHELLE - Funeral arrangements have been made for 24-year-old Valerie Reyes, the city woman whose death has been the subject of national headlines as police continue to investigate. Wake services were held Tuesday at Lloyd Maxcy & Sons Beauchamp Chapel in New Rochelle. A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Gabriel's Church, 120 Division St., New Rochelle. Family reported Reyes missing on Jan. 30. On Feb. 5, Reyes' body was found stuffed into a suitcase, bound at the wrists and ankles, in woods off Glenville Road just north of Stillman Lane in the Glenville section of Greenwich, Connecticut. A municipal highway worker who found her notified the police. The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not said what the cause of death was. Reyes was a 2012 New Rochelle High School graduate and worked at the Barnes & Noble in Eastchester at the Vernon Hills Shopping Center. Her mother and her best friend have said Reyes was a homebody, an avid reader who liked creative activities. She was someone who took books to coffee shops, hiked nature trials and took walks around Beechmont Lake. A few-hundred people attended a vigil in Reyes' memory at Glen Island Park last week. IDENTIFIED: Missing New Rochelle resident Valerie Reyes ID'd as woman found dead in suitcase in Greenwich MOTHER: Valerie Reyes feared 'someone is going to murder me' the night before she went missing NEW ROCHELLE: Valerie Reyes: Who was she? TIMELINE: Of New Rochelle resident's death