Elizabeth Man Convicted Of Killing Wife, Dumping Body In Suitcase

ELIZABETH, NJ — An Elizabeth man has been convicted of killing his wife in the home they shared with their young child, stuffing her body in a suitcase and then dumping her body in an abandoned home before reporting her missing, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan announced.

On Monday, Abayuba Rivas, 43, was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree desecration of human remains, two related weapons offenses, and three counts of hindering apprehension.

The conviction came following four days of jury deliberations and a trial before state Superior Court Judge Robert Kirsch that lasted more than a month.

Rivas allegedly murdered Karla Jose Villagra Garzon, 32, on Feb. 23 2014, before stuffing her body in a suitcase and dumping it in a vacant residence on Southern Boulevard in Chatham Township, approximately 10 miles away from their Elizabeth home, where he left her on a mattress in the basement, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who is prosecuting the case.

The next morning Rivas reported Garzon missing and told authorities at the time that she had went out the night before but never returned, Lawlor said.

A joint investigation by the Union County Homicide Task Force, Elizabeth Police Department, and New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit led to Rivas being identified as a suspect.

Garzon's body, which had duct tape binding her hands and covering her eyes and mouth, was recovered from the vacant home approximately three weeks after she had been reported missing.

An autopsy conducted by the Union County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed her cause of death as asphyxiation, with blunt-force trauma contributing.

Rivas had his bail revoked following the verdict Monday and was taken into custody pending a sentencing hearing scheduled to take place on Friday, Aug. 24.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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