Bridgeport Murder Suspect’s Bond Doubled to $5 Million

Bridgeport police arrested 57-year-old Jorge Luis Ortiz on Oct. 19, a week after 48-year-old Nelson Manuel Batista was fatally shot near Park Avenue and Cottage Street. Investigators believe the shooting was a random road-rage incident and said the men did not know each other. Ortiz allegedly ran when officers approached and was unarmed when arrested; he is charged with murder and criminal possession of a firearm. Police credited community tips and circulating dashcam footage with helping the investigation. His bond was initially set at $2.5 million and later doubled to $5 million, with 30% required in cash, citing his criminal history, including a prior murder conviction.