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Cold Case: Juan Vasquez

Bridgeport Police Unsolved Murder The Murder Of Juan Vazquez Date: July 29Th, 2000 Time: Between 0030 And 0912 Location: 430 East Main Street, Bridgeport, ...
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Bridgeport Police Unsolved Murder
The Murder Of Juan Vazquez
Date:   July 29Th, 2000
Time:   Between 0030 And 0912
Location:  430 East Main Street, Bridgeport, Ct.
The J & S Market
Cause Of Death: Multiple Stab Wounds
57 Stab Wounds To The Chest
45 Stab Wounds To The Back
13 Stab Wounds To The Right Side Of The Neck

By: Christopher J. Lyons

Juan Vazquez was the owner of a small neighborhood variety store known as the J and S Variety store located at 430 East Main Street, Bridgeport. Juan would stay open until 10 or 11 pm every night and he would have friends and relatives come into the store to play dominoes and watch television. On the night of July 28th, 2000,  business was slow and the group was watching a boxing match, drinking beer and playing dominoes.

As the night of July 28th went on people came and went inside of the J & S Variety store. A little after midnight on July 29th, the party ended and everyone left the business except for Juan who was going to stay around, clean up and then go home. He never made it because he was attacked in the store after everyone had left.

A little after 0900 hours of July 29th, Bridgeport Police were notified of a possible murder inside of the J & S Variety store. A friend of the victim went to the business and observed the metal grate door slightly open. He went inside,  and saw a great deal of blood inside of the store and saw Juan lying on the floor. This person notified Bridgeport Police and waited for them to respond to the store.

Police arrived at 0912 hours. The first officer in the store described the interior of the store as being covered in blood. An enormous amount of blood was visible throughout the store. The victim was observed inside of the store lying on his back. Police at the scene immediately observed that he had been stabbed in the chest, neck and back. The medical examiner would later count 115 stab wounds. The crime scene was blood soaked with blood smears on the floor and walls and blood spatter throughout the crime scene. The victim had fought for his life. His hands bore defensive wounds and his hands were bruised. He suffered facial bruising as well in the attack upon him.

 Bridgeport Police secured a great deal of evidence at this crime scene and then began the investigation into this crime.Everyone who was identified inside the store was interviewed by police. Family and friends were also interviewed and police learned that Juan Vazquez was a quiet person who tried to run his business and make money for his family. Business was slow and police learned that the victim usually kept the proceeds of the daily receipts of the store in his pockets. Police also learned about possible motives for this crime.

There were three possible motives for the murder of Juan Vazquez.

1.     There were street rumors that the victim had won a lot of money in a street lottery that is common in many areas of every city. It was rumored that he won in excess of $10,000 dollars.

2.     Another possible motive was that Juan was involved in an extra marital affair with a married woman.

3.     A girlfriend of a neighbor would dress provocatively and the victim may have made comments about her appearance causing persons to get mad at him.

In their investigation and in addition to the motive information police were able to identify several persons of interest. The seized evidence was forensically examined and pointed to a suspect.

The investigation into the murder of Juan Vazquez has been actively investigated since it began. Interviews, examination of evidence and old fashioned police work have allowed police to be close to making arrests.  Setbacks included the lack of witnesses to the crime except for the persons who committed. This murder is over 14 years old. The persons who did this crime did so for personal reasons because 115 stab wounds make the crime personal. The persons responsible should be identified,  and brought to justice because they are too dangerous to be on the street. Anyone with any information that would help Bridgeport Police should make that call to help them solve the case.

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