Three years after the body of Jassy Correia was found in the trunk of a car hundreds of miles from the Boston nightclub where the woman was last seen alive, the trial of the man accused of kidnapping her is nearing.
Louis Coleman III, a 35-year-old from Rhode Island, has been charged in federal court with kidnapping resulting in death in the case. He has pleaded not guilty.
Jury selection began last week, a process officials have told NBC10 Boston is expected to be completed this week, which would clear the way for opening statements in the trial. Federal prosecutors said Monday afternoon that the process would continue on Tuesday.
Correia, who was from Lynn and had a young girl, was celebrating her 23rd birthday in February 2019 when she was allegedly kidnapped outside Venu Nightclub.
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Police said Coleman was seen on surveillance video carrying Correia's limp body into his Providence apartment about two hours later.
Coleman was stopped on Interstate 95 in Delaware four days later with Correia's body in the trunk. Authorities said she died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
The charge of kidnapping resulting in death carries a sentence of either death or life in prison, but federal prosecutors said last year that they will not seek the death penalty against Coleman. An attorney for Coleman said at the time he was "pleased" with the decision.
Prosecutors plan to present graphic evidence against Coleman at the trial, including video of him carrying Correia piggyback to his car after she was pushed out of an Uber that wasn't hers into the cold night, The Boston Globe reported Sunday, citing court records.
