Man allegedly killed girlfriend in Berkeley, stuffed her body in a suitcase
A Berkeley woman allegedly was killed by her boyfriend last month and stuffed inside a suitcase before being found days later, according to court documents. Velena Jones reports.
A Berkeley woman allegedly was killed by her boyfriend last month and stuffed inside a suitcase before being found days later, according to court documents.
Damarcus Jones, 28, has since been arrested and charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend, identified as 37-year-old Vanessa Sanchez.
WATCH HEREInvestigators said officers were called to an apartment building along the 1900 block of California Street on May 30 after a property manager discovered Sanchez dead inside her unit.
Court documents reveal investigators found Sanchez’s body inside a trash bag placed in a suitcase. Her body showed signs of trauma, including several injuries to her head and other areas.
Detectives said surveillance video showed Sanchez enter her apartment with Jones on May 24 — the last day she was seen alive. Two days later, cameras captured Jones return to the building with a large roller suitcase, investigators said.
Investigators said cellphone records placed Jones at the apartment for several days after Sanchez was last seen. Police arrested him Tuesday in Solano County.
According to court records, Jones told investigators he killed Sanchez and then tried to cover up the odor inside the apartment by opening windows and using an air purifier.
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Jones was on probation for a felony assault conviction last year.
Meanwhile, family members remembered Sanchez for the impact she had on those around her. In her obituary, they wrote that, after being diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer in 2023, Sanchez faced every challenge with courage. Her loved ones described her as someone who made people feel seen, valued and loved.