Logan Square man found guilty of killing girlfriend

A Logan Square man was convicted by a jury Thursday of killing his girlfriend and hiding her dismembered body inside his apartment nearly three years ago.

Genesis Silva, 36, was found guilty of murder in the June 2023 fatal stabbing of Brittany Battaglia, 33.

Battaglia’s body was found nearly decapitated in a large duffel bag in Silva’s apartment in the 2000 block of North Kimball Avenue.

Days before her body was found, Battaglia told her roommate that she was going to the home of Silva, whom she had been dating for more than a year, prosecutors said.

Battaglia was supposed to attend a party the same night but never showed up, and she was reported missing after her family could not reach her.

Detectives made a traffic stop on Silva while investigating her disappearance. He returned to his home with detectives, where they found the large duffel bag in his bedroom, prosecutors said. Silva was told to stay outside and was taken into custody when he tried sneaking back inside through a back stairway.

Battaglia’s death was ruled a homicide by multiple incised wounds, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A machete was found in Silva’s backpack and a second machete was discovered in his car, prosecutors said. Detectives also found two cell phones, two small pocketknives and an ice pick in Silva’s possession.

Silva was initially charged only with concealment of a homicidal death. He was charged with first-degree murder about six months later.

A hearing on a post-trial motion is set for April 9. Silva’s sentencing hearing hasn’t been scheduled.