A Portland man who is accused of killing his girlfriend is expected to make his first appearance in court today.
Police arrested Joel Olavarria around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. They say he murdered 21-year-old Jennifer Soto last week at an apartment on Anderson Street, where the couple lived with their two young children. He then allegedly drove more than 30 miles north and dumped the body in the Cathance River in Bowdoinham.
"Evidence indicates that Miss Soto was the victim of a homicide," said Portland Deputy Police Chief William Ridge.
He would not discuss the cause of death, and a report by the state Medical Examiner's Office has been sealed by the Attorney General's Office, which will prosecute the case.
The couple had a volatile relationship over the past four years, including custody disputes over the children, according to court documents and reports from neighbors.
Last year, a judge in Portland District Court ordered them to share custody, noting that they had reconciled after a separation.
A little more than a month ago, Soto began working part time for a cleaning business, working with four others in a building downtown. She did not show up to work her shift last Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Olavarria, accompanied by his sister, arrived at the Portland Police Department on Friday morning to fill out a missing- person report, Ridge said.
Olavarria told police that Soto had left the apartment to walk to work, and never returned.
Around 8:40 a.m. Saturday, an off-duty sheriff's deputy saw a body floating in the Cathance River. Later that day, police identified Soto.
On Sunday, investigators spoke with Olavarria and did an initial search of his vehicle, a Scion. As they prepared to search the apartment for evidence, Olavarria checked himself into Spring Harbor Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Westbrook.
Police spoke to him multiple times, Ridge said.
Olavarria checked out of the hospital Wednesday afternoon, and submitted to arrest by Portland police officers, who took him to the Cumberland County Jail.
The children – 3-year-old Waleska and 10-month-old Eliezel – are in the care of Olavarria's family in South Portland, Ridge said.
Olavarria also is identified by police and some prior court records as Joel Olavarria-Rivera, using a second surname.
Soto and Olavarria fought over custody of Waleska after her birth in 2004, court records show. Olavarria told caseworkers from the state Department of Health and Human Services that Soto suffered from mental health problems and he worried about her taking Waleska and leaving the state.
The department recommended that Olavarria get custody, but he withdrew the complaint and the couple apparently reconciled.
In May 2005, Soto called police to report that her boyfriend had assaulted her. In a statement, she said that Olavarria got angry when she turned down his sexual advances, and put his hand over her mouth and nose twice before she got away from him. She said he also pulled the phone cord out of the wall when she tried to call police.
Olavarria pleaded guilty to obstruction of the reporting of a crime. The assault charge was withdrawn in a plea agreement.
Soto and Olavarria are originally from Puerto Rico. Soto has family in Pennsylvania and New York, and apparently came to Maine to be with her boyfriend, Ridge said. Soto's family is arranging to have her body returned to them from the Medical Examiner's Office in Augusta.
Police have impounded Olavarria's car for further investigation, and Ridge said police are doing searches in multiple locations.
Olavarria was being held without bail Wednesday. His initial appearance will likely be at 1 p.m. today in Portland District Court.
Staff Writer Trevor Maxwell can be contacted at 791-6451 or at:
tmaxwell@pressherald.com
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