Genesis Silva, a 34-year-old convicted sex offender from Chicago, stands accused of the chilling murder of his girlfriend, Brittney Battaglia. Her body was found in a near-decapitated state, hidden in a duffle bag in his Logan Square residence.
Silva was apprehended and denied bail on Wednesday. He faces a felony count for hiding a homicidal death and a misdemeanor for obstructing a police officer.
On the night of June 2nd, Battaglia, who lived a block away from Silva, told her roommate she was heading to Silva’s place before attending a party.
When her brother and roommate couldn’t reach her, their concern crew. She also never arrived at a party she was expected to be at.
Her roommate and brother reported her missing on June 4th. With Silva coming under the scanner, police began surveillance of his residential area.
Silva, spotted leaving his apartment with a distinctive red and black backpack, was apprehended by officers several blocks away. He led the officers back to his North Kimball Avenue apartment, revealing the gruesome discovery of Battaglia’s body in a large duffle bag stashed in his bedroom. The medical examination confirmed the cause of death as homicide resulting from multiple sharp force wounds, leaving her head barely attached.
Silva’s alleged attempt to covertly re-enter his apartment via a back staircase while officers were securing the crime scene resulted in his detention. His possession of two cell phones, a couple of pocket knives, and an ice pick added another eerie layer to this gruesome case.
Following a search warrant, an examination of Silva’s apartment revealed a suspicious collection of items: a large tarp, garbage bags, a bucket, a paint suit, black gloves, a cleaning agent, and a Swiffer mop.
Despite the lack of visible blood, advanced technology detected the presence of blood on severalitems. Among these unsettling finds was a chilling note, questioning the average time for a body to begin to decompose.
A machete, recovered from Silva’s backpack, and another found in his car, hinted at the grim tools of his crime. Following a court hearing, Silva was ordered to remain in custody without bail.
In the aftermath of this chilling crime, a GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to assist the Battaglia family with Brittany’s funeral expenses.