Louis Coleman appears in federal court for kidnapping, death of Jassy Correia

March 11, 2019 6:16 pm

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@APittsABC6

BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) – The Providence man charged in the kidnapping and death of a Boston woman appeared before a federal judge Monday.

Louis Coleman was brought into the courtroom in Boston in shackles, wearing an orange jumpsuit with PCCF on the back. Coleman acknowledged his own family in the courtroom before being read his rights. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing and signed a voluntary order of detention.

Coleman, 32, was arrested on February 28 on a highway in Delaware. Police say they found the body of 23-year-old Jassy Correia in the trunk of his car. Correia went missing February 24 from the Boston nightclub Venu, where she was celebrating her birthday.

Coleman was returned to Massachusetts by US marshals over the weekend.

According to the court docket, a federal judge appointed Coleman two attorneys; Jane Peachy, a federal public defender, and David Hoose, who is from the firm Sasson Turnbull Ryan and Hoose in Northampton.

Correia’s family filled the courtroom Monday and asked the media for privacy. Two of Correia’s friends, Victoria Maestre and Jessica Tyler joined them.

“I’m very angry right now about the situation,” said Maestre.

Coleman’s charge, kidnapping resulting in death, carries a life sentence with the possibility of the death penalty.

“It’s just hard that she’s gone right now and he needs the penalty,” said Tyler.

The night of Correia’s disappearance, Boston Police said she was seen with a man later identified as Coleman in the Tremont Street area. She was seen entering a red vehicle with the same man.

Surveillance footage from Coleman’s apartment on Chesnut Street allegedly showed Coleman walking from his car into the building carrying a body matching the description of Correia, then dragging the body toward his apartment.

On February 26 Coleman was seen on surveillance allegedly walking into the building with Walmart bags, and according to police had items like suits, duck tape, candles, tape, a mask, gloves, bleach bath, and safety goggles.

The next day, documents say Coleman left the apartment with a suitcase and put it in his trunk. His photo was released on February 28 as a suspect in Correia’s kidnapping, the same day he was arrested.

Providence Police and Boston Police conducted a search of Coleman’s apartment and say they found suspicious items in his apartment and in the building’s dumpsters.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Correia died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. She was found in the trunk of Coleman’s car wrapped in a couch cover that was inside a trash bag in the suitcase. Her body was bloody and bound in duct tape, covered in baking soda.

Correia’s friends said Monday after Coleman’s first appearance that they’ll be at every single one, to make sure justice is served.

“I would do anything, everything to make sure that she gets justice just as I did when she went missing. I’m here today and I’m gonna continue,” said Maestre.

Correia is the mother to a 2-year-old daughter. A Go-Fund-Me has been set up for the family. It’s reached over $140,000.

Prosecutors have not said which punishment they’ll be seeking. The Suffolk County District Attorney said she’ll be watching the case closely, and more charges could come from her office if a crime was proven to be committed in the county.

Coleman will remain in federal custody until further court action.