A Rhode Island man was charged with the death of a woman who vanished after leaving a Boston nightclub last month, federal authorities said Sunday.
The suspect, Louis D. Coleman III, 32, was charged with kidnapping resulting in death, said Andrew Lelling, United States Attorney for Massachusetts.
Jassy Correia, 23, was last seen by friends celebrating her birthday at the Venu nightclub shortly after midnight on Feb. 24, NBC Boston reported.
She was reported missing the next day, after her father and brother couldn't reach her. Correia's body was found in the trunk of Coleman’s sedan in Delaware four days later, Lelling said.
Coleman had been at the same nightclub as Correia, Lelling said, and surveillance video captured them interacting at 2:15 a.m.
Authorities didn’t say if they knew each other. Lelling declined to say if Correia got into Coleman’s car willingly, adding only that she got into the sedan “on her power.”
“She could walk,” he said.
Two hours later, footage showed Coleman arriving at his Providence apartment complex carrying a body, Lelling said.
It wasn’t clear what happened between the club and Coleman’s apartment. Lelling said investigators were still determining the route Coleman allegedly took home.
Coleman later went to WalMart and bought three Tyvek suits, duct tape, an odor respirator and bleach, Lelling said. He was also seen wheeling a large suitcase into his apartment, then wheeling it out on Feb. 28 and lifting it into a truck, Lelling said.
It wasn’t clear why Coleman drove to Delaware, Lelling said.
When Coleman was stopped by Delaware State Police, Coleman allegedly said "she's in the trunk," Lelling said. Authorities found Correia’s body bruised, bound in duct tape and wrapped in a sofa cushion cover that appeared to be missing from Coleman’s apartment, Lelling said.
“There are indications that she did not go quietly,” Lelling said.
Lelling said Correia appeared to have died from blunt force trauma and strangulation.
Coleman could face the death penalty or a mandatory life sentence if convicted, Lelling said.
It wasn't immediately clear if Coleman had a lawyer.