Months after a young woman’s body was discovered hidden inside a futon in her Philadelphia apartment, a suspect has been arrested overseas.
Gerelys Sanchez-Reyes, 28, was taken into custody in Madrid, Spain, and will be extradited to the United States to face charges, the U.S. Marshals Service announced Thursday. She is expected to be charged with murder.
Gruesome Discovery
The victim, 21-year-old Yuleisy Carolina Torrelles Martinez, was found dead on April 5. Friends had contacted the Philadelphia Police Department after not hearing from her for several days. Officers obtained a search warrant and entered her apartment on the 4400 block of Frankford Avenue, where they discovered Martinez’s body wrapped in a shower curtain and concealed inside a futon. She had suffered multiple stab wounds to her neck and torso, according to WCAU.
Just one week later, on April 12, Sanchez-Reyes was named as a suspect. Police secured an arrest warrant and asked for the public’s help in locating her.
Captured Abroad
It’s not yet clear how or why Sanchez-Reyes ended up in Spain, or whether she had any known ties there. Authorities have not released details on the connection—if any—between her and the victim.
Martinez, originally from outside the U.S., had been living in Philadelphia for less than a year and was working as a waitress. Those who knew her expressed shock and grief.
“She came in about a year ago to purchase furniture for her apartment,” said Angel Cardona, a local business owner. “It’s very tragic and mind-blowing… She was just 21, just starting out in life. My heart and prayers go out to her family, her friends, everybody that knew her.”
Sanchez-Reyes will be extradited to face charges in the U.S. in the coming weeks.
