A Connecticut man who served a 30-year sentence after a 1992 felony murder conviction is facing murder charges again, this time in connection with a fatal road-rage shooting in Bridgeport, police said.
Jorge “George” Ortiz, 57, was taken into custody Monday following a short foot pursuit, bringing a week-long search to an end. Bridgeport police charged him with murder, illegal possession of a pistol and carrying a pistol without a permit.
According to a police affidavit, Ortiz allegedly shot and killed 48-year-old Nelson Batista during a confrontation around 9 a.m. on Oct. 12. Batista, a grandfather, had recently buried his 25-year-old son, an Air Force airman.
Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter said Ortiz and Batista did not know each other.
“This was a random act,” Porter told reporters during a news conference announcing the arrest, held just hours before Batista’s funeral.
The affidavit says surveillance footage showed a man identified as Ortiz following a woman along Park Avenue as Batista turned his SUV onto a side street.
Investigators allege Ortiz struck the side of the vehicle with his hands, causing Batista to stop and step outside.
Ortiz allegedly threw the first punch. The two men fell into a physical struggle, and video appeared to show them fighting over control of a handgun, according to the affidavit.
Bridgeport’s ShotSpotter system detected at least two gunshots. The medical examiner later determined that one bullet struck Batista in the chest.
Batista was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police said information from the public played a key role in locating Ortiz. A woman filmed part of the confrontation on her cellphone, while other witnesses helped investigators identify the suspect.
Footage recorded from inside a vehicle captured portions of the fight. It allegedly showed the attacker rising, striking Batista in the head with the butt of a pistol and fleeing while Batista remained motionless in the roadway.
A detective recognized Ortiz from previous interactions, including one in March, the affidavit states. Ortiz had been arrested in that earlier matter on misdemeanor drug charges, and the case remains pending.
Another man also contacted police and said he could identify Ortiz as the person shown in an image from the investigation.
Court records indicate that Ortiz was sentenced to 30 years in prison for felony murder in 1992.
Police said he was no longer on parole when Batista was killed.
An online obituary states that Batista’s son was laid to rest in Louisiana on Oct. 3.
Batista’s obituary described him as a passionate fan of Major League Baseball and the NFL, with a particular devotion to the New York Yankees.
He leaves behind six children and three grandchildren.
