Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Domestic Violence Attacks of Norfolk Woman

NORFOLK, Va. – Romario Manuel Da Silva Jr., 43, was sentenced on Friday to serve two years in prison for attacking his live-in girlfriend on two occasions in 2023.

On May 19, 2023, after a heated argument between Mr. Da Silva and the victim, a concerned friend of the victim’s called Norfolk Police. Following the police response, the victim temporarily left her shared home with Mr. Da Silva and secured an emergency protective order as well as a warrant against Mr. Da Silva for domestic assault. Just after midnight, on May 20, 2023, the victim returned home to find Mr. Da Silva still there. Rather than leave, Mr. Da Silva argued with the victim, and the victim ran into the bathroom of a bedroom, locking both doors behind her. Mr. Da Silva kicked in both doors and attacked the victim, including squeezing her neck and injuring her mouth as she tried to escape through a window. The victim successfully climbed through the window and screamed for help, and Mr. Da Silva continued to argue and tussle with her outside until neighbors and police intervened. Responding officers took Mr. Da Silva into custody on the warrant the victim secured earlier in the day, Mr. Da Silva later received a bond, and Mr. Da Silva returned home.

On July 29, 2023, Mr. Da Silva and the victim got into another heated argument, during which Mr. Da Silva assaulted the victim and prevented the victim from leaving their residence by pulling her away from the front door and blocking it. Responding officers charged Mr. Da Silva with abduction and domestic assault, and Mr. Da Silva was held in custody. Following this incident, the victim contacted the Norfolk Family Justice Center to seek charges against Mr. Da Silva from the May 20 incident, and additional charges were secured against Mr. Da Silva for malicious wounding and strangulation.

Mr. Da Silva pleaded not guilty to each of his charges and was tried earlier this year by a jury for his charges from both incidents. The jury convicted Mr. Da Silva of misdemeanor domestic assault from the May 2023 incident (acquitting Mr. Da Silva of the felony malicious wounding and strangulation charges) and convicted him of felony abduction and misdemeanor domestic assault from the July 2023 incident.

On Friday, Judge Joseph C. Lindsey sentenced Mr. Da Silva to serve to two years in prison and suspended 10 years of additional time on the conditions that Mr. Da Silva complete three years of uniform good behavior and a period of indeterminate supervised probation following his release and have no contact with the victim.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney M. Colston Jones prosecuted Mr. Da Silva’s case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Jennifer M. Baron led the investigation following the victim’s report to the Norfolk Family Justice Center.

If you have or someone you love has fallen victim to crime, including but not limited to domestic violence, resources are available at the Norfolk Family Justice Center. For more information, please visit norfolkfjc.org, call 757-330-0376 or stop by the NFJC inside the Park Place Multi-Services Center at 606 W. 29th St., between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. If you are in crisis, call the 24/7 hotline by dialing 757-251-0144. In an emergency, please call 911.

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