 |
Edinalva da Silva may have died of a stroke after being struck in the head, police told a relative. |
Woman, 30, is found dead in Brighton apartment
May have died 20 days ago, police tell family
Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a woman in Brighton after her body was found inside her apartment Wednesday night, police said.
Boston police said that officers discovered the 30-year-old woman’s body in her apartment on Cummings Road at about 5:40 p.m.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives are awaiting autopsy results, police said.
Outside the four-story brick apartment building where the woman was found, a relative identified her yesterday as Edinalva da Silva, a native of Brazil.
“It’s very sad,’’ said Patricia Oliveira, 29, who said she was the wife of da Silva’s cousin. “We are looking for who did this.’’
Oliveira said police told her that da Silva’s lifeless body may have been inside the apartment for about 20 days. She said authorities also indicated that da Silva may have died of a stroke after being struck in the head.
She said friends of da Silva called police Wednesday after they did not hear from her for about two weeks, and there was no answer at her apartment when they came by.
Oliveira said da Silva’s husband, Paulo, flew to Brazil about two weeks ago. She said she was unaware of any problems between the two.
Boston police spokesman David Estrada said he could not comment on any of the details of the case, except to say that it is an active death investigation.
A spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley declined to comment last night.
“She was a nice person,’’ said an emotional Oliveira, adding that da Silva was a bridesmaid at her wedding. “Her parents in Brazil are very sad.’’
Another resident in da Silva’s apartment building, Bill Foley, 26, said firefighters broke down da Silva’s door on Wednesday, and that police later entered the room and began removing items in sealed boxes.
Foley said he did not know da Silva or her husband. Like other residents of the building who spoke to the Globe, he said he did not recall police coming there for any type of disturbance.
Despite the gruesome discovery, Foley said he felt safe in his own apartment.
“It’s a safe area,’’ he said.
Building resident Tom Whalen, 23, said responders first came to his door Wednesday, thinking that his unit was da Silva’s. He also said he was unaware of any prior trouble in her apartment.
“I never heard a peep out of that room,’’ Whalen said.
Travis Andersen can be reached at tandersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
