Missing NY woman ID’d as Greenwich suitcase murder victim

This photo of Valerie Reyes was posted by New Yok City police from the Midtown North precinct. The missing person poster said “Have you seen VALERIE REYES? 5' 3", black hair, brown eyes, 1/2 sleeve tattoo on left arm. Last seen wearing a green coat, black jeans, and black shoes. Suffers from anxiety and depression.” less This photo of Valerie Reyes was posted by New Yok City police from the Midtown North precinct. The missing person poster said “Have you seen VALERIE REYES? 5' 3", black hair, brown eyes, 1/2 sleeve tattoo on ... more Photo: NYPD Buy photo Photo: NYPD Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Missing NY woman ID’d as Greenwich suitcase murder victim 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

GREENWICH, Conn. — Valerie Reyes held a steady job and had a loving family.

Finding out how the 24-year-old woman from a tight knit community in New Rochelle, N.Y., came to be a murder victim is now the top concern for her family members and police investigators in Greenwich.

Police have identified Reyes’ body as the one found stuffed in a suitcase on the side of a road in Greenwich, authorities announced Thursday morning. Her family was notified the night before of her death.

Her body was found Tuesday morning off Glenville Road, along a quiet residential stretch of road.

“The victim has been identified, with the assistance of the State of Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” Greenwich Police Capt. Robert Berry said in a statement. “Her family was advised of the positive identification (Wednesday) night. They are obviously devastated by the loss of Valerie and our heartfelt condolences go out to them.”

The cause of death has not yet been released by authorities.

Reyes worked at a Barnes & Noble book store in Eastchester, N.Y. The company issued the following statement: “The entire Barnes & Noble community is grieving the loss of our beloved employee Valerie Reyes. Our hearts go out to her family, friends, and coworkers during this difficult time.”

Friends and neighbors said Reyes was a quiet and friendly person. She recently had gotten a dog who was popular with neighborhood kids, according to a neighbor and friend from New Rochelle, Brenda DiGiacomo.

#MissingPerson Have you seen VALERIE REYES? 5' 3", black hair, brown eyes, 1/2 sleeve tattoo on left arm. Last seen wearing a green coat, black jeans, and black shoes. Suffers from anxiety and depression. pic.twitter.com/vxvXi40fiV — NYPD Midtown North (@NYPDMTN) January 31, 2019

New Rochelle police were contacted after Reyes went missing Jan. 29.

The New York City Police Department issued a missing-person advisory a short time later, giving a description of her. The NYPD posting stated: “Last seen wearing a green coat, black jeans, and black shoes. Suffers from anxiety and depression.”

The victim’s mother, Norma Sanchez, tearfully told the Journal News that her daughter was afraid, the night before she disappeared, that she would be murdered.

Reyes’ body was found at about 8:23 a.m. Tuesday off the east shoulder of Glenville Road, just north of Stillman Lane by a town worker, police said. She was found at the scene inside a large red suitcase with her hands and feet bound.

“We are focusing on developing information on Valerie,” said police Lt. John Slusarz. “Our investigators have been working on this night and day. It’s going to take a tremendous amount of work.”

Greenwich police were in contact with New Rochelle police, and the scope of the investigation could include law enforcement in New York City if the investigation goes in that direction, Slusarz said.

“It is our case until it is determined the initial crime scene is somewhere else,” he said.

On social media, a Justice4Valerie page was put up by friends and family. Over 200 people attended a tearful vigil in memory of Reyes at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle at dusk on Thursday. And a GoFundMe page set up by friend to help the family pay funeral expenses raised nearly $3,000 in three hours.

Friends and family members began posting on Facebook on Jan. 30, pleading for information on Reyes’ whereabouts. “I hope you are okay, I love you,” said one woman who identified herself as Reyes’ cousin. The woman said in other posts that Reyes was last seen the morning of Jan. 29 walking to the New Rochelle train station.

Greenwich police do not know where Reyes was killed, but the homicide did not occur in the spot where the body was found.

A town highway worker who was called to the grisly scene by a co-worker Tuesday morning is also facing scrutiny. Greenwich First Selectman Peter Tesei confirmed that the worker took unauthorized photos of the victim and the crime scene, and he had been placed on leave.

“The victim was a daughter, a sister and a cousin of a family who is suffering a tremendous loss at this time. This thoughtless and insensitive behavior by an employee is inexcusable,” Tesei said Thursday

Town officials would not identify the employee, but multiple sources have confirmed he is Department of Public Works foreman James Clifford, who has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

Greenwich attorney Lindy R. Urso, who is representing Clifford, said that snapping a photo was a lapse in judgment made by a traumatized person, who was stunned by what he had encountered.

“One would think that (Greenwich police) would want to use all of their resources trying to find out who murdered this poor woman rather than trying to make a scapegoat of Mr. Clifford,” Urso said, describing Clifford as an Army veteran, single father of three, a grandfather, and town worker of 26 years who “hasn’t called in sick in over 4 years.”

The Greenwich Police Department repeated a call to the public, asking anyone “who may have seen anything suspicious on Glenville Road in the last few days” to contact the Greenwich Police Tip Line at 203- 622-3333, or send an email at Tips@greenwichct.org.

The homicide investigation was causing shock and unease in the Glenville community. Local residents said it was hard to believe that a quiet corner of Greenwich was associated with a grisly crime scene.

“We’re supposed to be the safest town in America, or at least one of them,” Melissa Klinka said as she headed to a neighborhood grocery store. “So something like this makes people uncomfortable.”

A lifelong resident of the area, Klinka said she has been hearing lots of speculation about the case from people in the community, and what might have led to the disposal of the body off Glenville Road. She said she was hoping that authorities could wrap up the case “and get closure.”

The area where the body was found is out of sight from nearby residences, in a small depression on the east side of Glenville Road near Stillman Lane. It is near a small area adjoining the road where a car could park.