CHRISTINA LONG

• Christina Long's body was found face down in a creek in Greenwich, Connecticut, after she was killed by asphyxiation during rough sex. Christina, aged 13, met her killer, Saul Dos Reis, through the internet in a chat room, an aspect of the case which has gotten it a lot of media attention, unlike the criminal's immigration status. Dos Reis attempted to give himself an alibi by emailing the girl and apologizing for not meeting her the night of the death. In fact, he strangled the sixth-grader and then dumped the body not far from his home. The killer is a Brazilian national who evidently overstayed his visa by several years and legally should be deported when he completes his sentence. He was convicted of manslaughter in mid-April 2003. This article includes a video clip about the case. Sentencing Update: At the sentencing, Saul Dos Reis stated, "I have not had a single night of sleep when I don't wake up drenched in sweat." Judge Patrick L. Carroll III responded, "That time for mercy was the evening your victim died in your hands." The Judge gave Dos Reis 30 years in prison, the maximum for manslaughter.