A suspect has been apprehended in Madrid, Spain, several months after a woman was found dead in her Philadelphia apartment, her body concealed within a futon. The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed the arrest of 28-year-old Gerelys Sanchez-Reyes, who is expected to be extradited back to the United States to face murder charges.
The victim, 21-year-old Yuleisy Carolina Torrelles Martinez, was discovered in the early hours of April 5. Friends of Martinez had alerted the Philadelphia Police Department after several days without contact from her. Upon obtaining a search warrant, officers entered Martinez’s apartment, located on the 4400 block of Frankford Avenue in the city’s northeast region, where they found her body wrapped in a shower curtain and hidden inside a futon. The cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds to her neck and torso.
Sanchez-Reyes was identified as a suspect in the case shortly after the discovery of Martinez’s body. An arrest warrant was issued on April 12, and the public was asked to assist with any information regarding her whereabouts. The Philadelphia branch of the U.S. Marshals Service announced her arrest this past Thursday.
Martinez had been a resident of Philadelphia for less than a year, working as a waitress. Local business owner Angel Cardona remembered her as a customer, recalling her visits to his store to purchase furniture for her apartment. He expressed his shock and sadness at the tragic event, extending his condolences to her family and friends.
The relationship between the victim and Sanchez-Reyes, if any, remains unclear. It is also unknown whether Sanchez-Reyes had existing connections in Spain or if she fled there following the crime.