PROVIDENCE — Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced Wednesday, Feb. 12, that Raymond Grundy, 38, with a last known address of Fifth Street in East Providence, pleaded guilty before Superior Court Justice Susan E. McGuirl for the Christmas 2010 murder of Staria Silva in her East Providence apartment.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, which was approved by the victim’s family, Mr. Grundy was sentenced to 60 years with 40 to serve for second degree murder.

Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that on December 25, 2010, Staria Silva was found slain in her apartment by her mother. Her twin daughters, who were nine months old at the time, were found unharmed crying in their cribs.

“Domestic violence is not bound by geography or demographics.  It is a crime that takes place every day in our neighborhoods throughout our state.  This case shines a dark light on the realities of domestic violence.  We, as a community, must continue to work together to do more to protect victims from domestic violence,” said Attorney General Kilmartin.

An autopsy by the medical examiner ruled Ms. Silva’s death a homicide and determined the cause to be asphyxia and sharp force injury. Ms. Silva’s former boyfriend and the father of her twins, Mr. Grundy, was developed as a suspect.

The East Providence Police conducted an exhaustive investigation and built its case against Mr. Grundy through witness statements and phone records that led police to place Mr. Grundy at the crime scene at the time of the murder.

Detective Michael Petow of the East Providence Police led the investigation and Assistant Attorney General Mark Trovato and Special Assistant Attorney General Kurt Mutter prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.