SALEM — A man charged with dumping an Atco teen’s body along a rural Salem County roadway is facing a deadline to either agree to a plea deal or head to trial.
Indications are that some sort of resolution could come later this month.
Jose Sosa-Ayala, 41, was back in Superior Court in Salem Monday for another pre-trial hearing before Superior Court Judge Benjamin Telsey.
Sosa-Ayala is accused of leaving Danyelle Minerva’s body along the Alloway-Woodstown Road in the fall of 2015 after she died at Sosa-Ayala’s home in Bridgeton.
Telsey granted defense attorney Leslie McNair-Jackson’s request to adjourn the hearing until Feb. 21.
“He’d like to confer with his family,” she told the judge. “We may be close to a resolution ….”
Salem County Assistant Prosecutor Michael J. Forte said at the Feb. 21 court date Sosa-Ayala will need to make a decision to either agree to a plea arrangement with the prosecutor’s office or go to trial.
Forte said the same deal remains on the table for Sosa-Ayala as was offered in January that Sosa-Ayala balked at taking — three years in state prison.
If Sosa-Ayala goes to trial and is found guilty, he could face five to 10 years in prison, officials said.
Teen had a difficult life
At Sosa-Ayala’s last court hearing prosecutors were granted permission to take hair samples from Sosa-Ayala and test them to see if they matched any found on a blanket that Minerva’s remains were wrapped in.
At Monday’s hearing there was no word on the fate of those samples. However, the prosecutor’s office did confirm Tuesday it is still awaiting the DNA test results.
Minerva was last heard from by her family Oct. 14, 2015.
Authorities believe that Minerva, 19, went to Sosa-Ayala’s apartment on Giles Street in Bridgeton where she died. The cause of her death remains a mystery.
Sosa-Ayala carried Minerva’s body to his car and then drove to Alloway. It was Jan. 11, 2016 that her skeletal remains were found by tree trimmers.
On Feb.18, 2016, police arrested Sosa-Ayala and his roommate, Jose Felix-Sosa, 47. Sosa-Ayala was indicted on charges in connection with the case, but did not indict Felix-Sosa.
As with past court appearances, members of Minerva’s family were in court to witness the proceedings.
Asked if she hoped the next court appearance may be the last, Minerva’s aunt, Denise Arnieri, answered this way: “That’s what we want — closure.”
Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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