Son named ‘number one suspect’ in disappearance of Bronx woman found dead in Manhattan, Saturday; Joan Viau was last seen with her son Joseph Garcia
Joan Viau, 52, who vanished from The Bronx on Monday, found dead in Manhattan on Saturday
Her son Joseph Garcia, was declared ‘number one suspect’ in her disappearance
Garcia, 31, was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and grand larceny after he was caught on surveillance video using his mom’s car and credit card after she disappeared
Prosecutor said “There is an abundance of evidence linking [Garcia] to the crime, including video surveillance and DNA evidence,”
He was arrested, Thursday, charged with grand larceny and unauthorized use of a vehicle
Police investigating his connection to his mother’s death
Bail has been set at $100,000 bail
Joan Viau last seen with her son on Monday, was found dead Saturday along a wooded area in upper Manhattan, NY
The body of the 52-year Viau, was discovered about 1:30 a.m. behind a wall lining the Hudson River Greenway near 187th St., police said. Cause of death is withheld pending an autopsy.
Joan Viau was last seen with her son Joseph Garcia on Monday, outside her Williamsbridge home on her way to an appointment at a local Veterans Affairs hospital.
Police had expressed fears concerning her safety of the missing woman: “There is blood evidence in her car and in her home that we are very concerned with,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce had said Friday. “We’re looking for this lady. We don’t know her whereabouts.”
Joseph Garcia was the last person seen with Joan Viau as she headed to the hospital. He also used her ATM card after she had disappeared
Hours before the discovery of her remains, Viau’s 31-year-old son, Joseph Garcia, was arrested and placed in custody with bail set at $100,000 bail while cops investigate his connection with the death of his mother.
Garcia had been charged Thursday with unauthorized use of a vehicle after he was caught on surveillance video exiting his mother’s blood-spattered car and using her ATM card, after her disappearance, officials said Friday.
Garcia, is “the No. 1 suspect” in her disappearance, a Bronx assistant district attorney said during Garcia’s arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court.
“He never mentioned to me anything about killing his mother so I can’t tell you if he did or didn’t,” Garcia’s lawyer, Martin Fisher said
Garcia was caught on camera parking his mom’s red Toyota SUV. It had blood splatters and a bloody palm print on the ceiling when it was found
Viau’s red 1998 Toyota 4Runner, which had blood on the rear seat and a bloody palm print imprinted on the cloth ceiling, was found near her home by her 49-year-old live-in boyfriend on Wednesday, cops said.
Garcia was also charged with criminal possession of stolen property after investigators found his mom’s credit card in his front pocket.
Surveillance video caught the Crown Heights, Brooklyn resident, parking the red Toyota near his mom’s home and walking away from it. He was also captured on video using her ATM card.
Officials have emphasized the considerable amount of circumstantial evidence in the case.
“There is an abundance of evidence linking the defendant to the crime, including video surveillance and DNA evidence,” a prosecutor said of Viau’s disappearance.
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