Thousands Raise $115K For Jassy Correia's Family, Daughter

BOSTON, MA — In just a day, community members and strangers alike have rallied to raise more than $119,000 for the family and 2-year-old daughter mourning the loss of Jassy Correia, whose body was found in the trunk of a car Thursday.

"The family of Jassy Correia is extremely grateful for every single one of you, for your contribution and your positive thoughts," relative Euprepia Correia posted to online fundraising site GoFundMe.

The post comes in response to the 3,657 people who contributed more than double a goal of $50,000 to help ease the family burden and set up a college fund for Jassy’s daughter as of Saturday morning. The donations range from $5 to $2,000 and come with notes of support and condolence.

"It’s not much, but I wanted people to know that what happened to Jassy is not okay," posted Stephanie Doherty.

Correia was kidnapped while leaving the Venu Night Club in Boston late Saturday night, where she was celebrating her 23rd birthday. Her body was found in two suitcases in a car in Delaware five days later, according to family.

After an investigation that took police across three states, law enforcement arrested Louis Coleman III,32, of Providence, in connection with Correia's disappearance. He faces a litany of charges including kidnapping, failure to report a death and mutilation of a dead body.

Correia's body is being held in Delaware by medical examiners. And Coleman is being held on fugitive warrant out of Rhode Island.

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins said authorities were taking the case, which she described as complicated, and as having multiple moving parts in three jurisdictions, seriously.

Thursday Rollins, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross and Mayor Marty Walsh visited with the Correia family.

"The pain that we feel as a city right now is real as we mourn the loss of a young life that was taken too soon. My heart breaks for Jassy's family and friends, and her young daughter," Walsh tweeted.

Authorities asked the public to use this moment to be kind and look out for one another.

"Together, let's watch over one another. We are our brothers and our sisters' keeper," Walsh said in his tweet.

Rollins said Correia wasn't doing anything wrong that night.

"Jassy was not at the wrong place at the [wrong] time. She was right where every woman has every right to be, celebrating her birthday on a night out with friends," said Rollins during a press conference.

Rollins acknowledged that Correia's disappearance and murder comes on the heels of the disappearance and reported act of violence against another 23-year-old Boston woman. A Jamaica Plain woman disappeared on a Saturday night in January after leaving a bar and was found - alive - three days later after a manhunt. Both garnered national attention.

Rollins implored men to take responsibility for violence against women, too.

"This is not just a women's issue," she said.

Victor Pena, the man accused of kidnapping the JP woman, was in court Friday and will face rape and abduction charges in March.

READ MORE:

• 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)
• Missing Jamaica Plain Woman Found Alive (January)

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Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).

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