A Connecticut man once sentenced to 30 years in prison for a 1992 felony murder conviction is facing a new murder charge after police say he fatally shot a grandfather during a road rage confrontation in Bridgeport.
Jorge “George” Ortiz, 57, was arrested Monday following a short foot pursuit, bringing a week-long search to an end, Bridgeport police said. He is charged with murder, criminal possession of a pistol and carrying a pistol without a permit.
According to a police affidavit, Ortiz allegedly shot 48-year-old Nelson Batista during a road rage encounter around 9 a.m. on Oct. 12. Batista had recently buried his 25-year-old son, an Air Force airman.
Nelson Batista pictured in a family photo. (Batista family)
Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter said Ortiz and Batista did not know each other.
“This was a random act,” Porter told reporters at a news briefing 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 while Batista turned his SUV onto a side street. Ortiz allegedly slapped the vehicle, causing Batista to stop and step outside.
Investigators say Ortiz threw the first punch, sending both men to the ground in a struggle. Video then appeared to show the pair fighting over a handgun. Bridgeport’s ShotSpotter system detected at least two shots, and the medical examiner determined that one bullet struck Batista in the chest.
Air Force senior airman Pierce Batista, the victim’s 25-year-old son, had been laid to rest just days before his father’s murder. (Pierce Batista/Facebook)
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Batista was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Police said community members played a key role in locating Ortiz. A woman recorded part of the confrontation on her cellphone, while additional witnesses helped investigators identify the suspect.
Footage recorded from inside a vehicle captured portions of the fight. In the video, the attacker allegedly rises, strikes Batista in the head with the butt of a pistol and flees while the victim remains motionless in the street.
Jorge “George” Ortiz, 57, has been charged with murder after a broad daylight shooting in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His criminal record includes a prior felony murder conviction for which he was sentenced to 30 years in 1992. (Bridgeport Police Department)
A detective recognized Ortiz from previous encounters, including one in March, the affidavit states. Ortiz had been arrested then on misdemeanor drug charges in a case that remains pending. Police also received a tip from a man who said he could identify Ortiz as the person shown in the image.
Court records show Ortiz was sentenced to 30 years in prison for felony murder in 1992. He was no longer on parole when Batista was killed.
Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter delivers a news briefing on the arrest of Jorge “George” Ortiz in connection with the shooting death of Connecticut grandpa Nelson Batista. (Bridgeport Police Department)
An online obituary states that Batista’s son was buried Oct. 3 in Louisiana.
Batista’s obituary described him as a devoted fan of Major League Baseball and the NFL, with a particular love for the New York Yankees. He was the father of six children and grandfather of three.
