Man Charged With Murder In Wallingford Teen's Killing: Police

WALLINGFORD, CT — A Wallingford man has been charged with the killing of 17-year-old Nolvin Diaz, whose body was found in a lake May 3, according to police. David Diaz-Perez, 21, was arrested Monday night and is being held on a $2 million bail. Diaz-Perez is related to Diaz and they shared the same home on Meadow Street in Wallingford, according to police Lt. Cheryl Bradley.

Diaz was reported missing by relatives April 25 and a Silver Alert was issued. He was last seen alive April 23. The investigation revealed that Diaz had few friends and didn’t socialize much outside of the family, Bradley said. Police also found his cell phone had been turned off.

Around 12 noon May 3, two kayakers found a partially submerged body in Community Lake. The body was identified as Diaz, who had suffered numerous injuries to the head and face and had his own belt tied around his neck, according to Bradley.

“An attempt was made to submerge his body in the lake,” Bradley said. “The Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by blunt injury to the head, sharp force injury to the face and ligature strangulation.

“The Connecticut State Police were called in to process the crime scene while our Detective Division began the investigation. In the eight days following the discovery of Nolvin’s body, our detectives dedicated all of their time and energy to solving this case.”

Diaz-Perez was interviewed by police May 11 and “admitted to killing Nolvin and provided intimate details that had not been released to the general public,” Bradley said. “He also physically showed the detectives where the incident occurred.”

Diaz-Perez told police that the incident occurred April 23, but he went back on May 2 to drag the body into the lake. The motive is unclear at this time, Bradley said.

Diaz-Perez is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court on May 13.

“The Wallingford Police would like to thank the Meriden Police Department for providing a Spanish-speaking detective to assist with several interviews including that of David Diaz-Perez,” Bradley said. “We would also like to thank the Connecticut State Police Central District Major Crime Unit for assistance at the crime scene.”

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