NOTE: Details in this story could be triggering for victims of domestic violence. The story has been written to protect the identity of the victim. The individual will be referred to as “the victim” throughout this story.
An island resident had his day in Nantucket District Court on Monday for allegedly dragging an individual around an apartment by their hair, threatening the victim if they called the police, and contacting a man in Brazil to arrange for the victim and another person to be beheaded.
Wender Da Silva, 30, of Nantucket, was arraigned on Jan. 7 charges of domestic assault and battery and witness intimidation. He had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf and was ordered to return to court Feb. 14 for a pretrial hearing.
According to the police report provided by the court, officer Joseph Tirone spoke with the victim on Jan. 8 about an alleged domestic incident that took place the night prior.
Police said the victim was with Da Silva at approximately 9 p.m. on Jan. 7. The victim told police that Da Silva was intoxicated and upset that they wanted to end communications with him. The victim said they have hung around Da Silva since 2019.
Police said the victim alleged that Da Silva proceeded to grab their hair and drag them around the apartment. There were two children watching the incident occur.
Police said Da Silva then took the victim’s phone and told victim if they called the police “(victim) would pay for it.”
The victim told police that they received a message from Da Silva on Instagram in which claimed to have contacted a man in Brazil to arrange for the victim and another individual to be beheaded.
In other Nantucket District Court news this week, after completing ten months of pretrial probation, Nairin Garcia, 21, of Nantucket, had a March 11, 2021 charge of assault and battery dismissed.
