Man Indicted In Kidnapping, Death Of Boston's Jassy Correia, 23

BOSTON — A Rhode Island man was charged Thursday in the kidnapping and death of a 23-year-old Boston woman in February. Louis D. Coleman III, of Providence, was indicted in federal court in Boston on a charge of kidnapping resulting in death. Coleman has been detained since his arrest Feb. 28 in Delaware.

According to the charging documents, after learning of the disappearance of Correia, law enforcement reviewed surveillance tape from outside of the Venu nightclub, the last place Correia had been seen by her friends, which showed Correia leaving the area and getting into a car with a man later identified as Coleman.

Surveillance footage from Coleman’s apartment building showed him, at about 4:15 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24, parking and getting out of the car, and then returning a short time later carrying a blanket. Video then shows him walking from the car to the front of the building carrying a body with long hair and clothing consistent with the description of Correia.

Once he entered the building, surveillance video showed Coleman dropping the body on the floor and dragging her toward the elevator and then toward his apartment unit. The woman was not moving and her body was limp.

It is alleged that on Feb. 26, surveillance video from Coleman's apartment building showed him go into the building with Walmart shopping bags. Officials then got video surveillance and a receipt from a Walmart nearby that showed he had bought three Tyvek suits, duct tape, two candles, electrical tape, one mask, surgical gloves, two pairs of safety goggles, an odor respirator and CLN release bleach bath.

Around 9:58 p.m. on Feb. 27, Coleman is seen on video surveillance entering the apartment building with what appeared to be a new, large suitcase, according to officials.

At 1:15 a.m. on Feb. 28, Coleman is seen in the video wheeling the suitcase away from his apartment unit toward the elevator, eventually out of the building and into the parking lot where his car was parked. Coleman appeared to have difficulty lifting the suitcase into the trunk of his car.

Additional surveillance video showed Coleman on several occasions exiting his apartment building with other items, including trash bags, cardboard boxes, a bottle of bleach, a laptop case, a computer tower and a small duffle bag.

Later on Feb. 28, a search warrant was executed at Coleman’s apartment, where police found two packages of hooded coveralls and two respirator masks. They also found a sofa with four large cushions, one of which was missing a cover.

Police also found white trash bags, a bag containing plastic sheets, men’s jeans with bleach stains and a belt, a white nylon hooded coverall, an empty box of baking soda, clear safety goggles, a respirator mask, duct tape packaging, rubbing alcohol, Walmart bags, used plastic gloves, an empty package from a car air freshener, three empty packages of purifying charcoal and a sponge in a dumpster outside of the apartment complex.

That same day Delaware authorities on Interstate 95 South near Wilmington, Delaware State Troopers stopped Coleman’s car and ordered him out and asked him if anyone else was with him.

Officials said Coleman answered something like: "She’s in the trunk."

There, officers found Correia's body, wrapped in a sofa cushion cover, which was inside of a black trash bag, inside of a large suitcase that matched the suitcase Coleman was seen bringing into his apartment on Feb. 27. Police said Correia's body had significant bruising, a bloodied face, was bound with gray duct tape, and was covered in what is believed to be baking soda.

Police said they also found a duffle bag, a pair of new long-handled loppers, plastic garbage bags, clothing, a red plastic gas container, a green butane lighter, black gloves, charcoal air purifiers, air fresheners, tinted safety glasses, plastic Walmart bags, work towels, cloth work-gloves, a new set of DeWalt pliers, a laptop, a computer hard-drive/tower, and disinfectant wipes.

Prosecutors say photographs of the defendant’s car depict a windshield that is cracked in two locations on the passenger side. They also said police found a white substance, believed to be baking soda, in the trunk.

When police took Coleman into custody someone asked him about a large bandage on the right side of his face. He replied, "It’s from the girl," police said.

The charge of kidnapping resulting in death provides for a sentence of death or life in prison.

RELATED:

• Jassy Correia Missing: Police Searching For Person Of Interest (Feb. 27)
• Police ID Rhode Island Man As Suspect in Jassy Kidnapping
• Louis Coleman Arrested In Delaware (Feb. 28)
• Police Arrest Main Suspect In Jassy Correia's Kidnapping, Murder(Feb. 28)
• Coleman To Face Charges In Rhode Island (March 1)
• More Details Emerge About Louis Coleman And What Was Found In His Home (March 3)
• Jassy Correia's Accused Kidnapper To Be Moved To Boston (March 4)
• Jassy Correia Had Been Kidnapped Once Before (March 5)
• Jassy Correia Memorial Vigil To Be Held Thursday In Dorchester(March 6)
• Jassy Correia Laid To Rest Saturday Morning (March 9)