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Search continues for missing Waterbury woman

WATERBURY – Guakara Taina would normally be filled with people watching Monday Night Football but instead remains dark. The bar is the last known location...

WATERBURY - Guakara Taina would normally be filled with people watching Monday Night Football but instead remains dark. The bar is the last known location of 26-year-old Janet Avalo-Alvarez who went missing late last Tuesday.

“I don’t feel good. My heart is broke,” said Jerome Perez.

Avalo-Alvarez co-owns the bar with her live-in boyfriend 32-year-old Alfredo Peguero-Gomez. Police consider him a person of interest in her disappearance.

"Their relationship was described by friends and coworkers as up and down and they argued frequently about personal matters and business matters," said Lt. David Silverio.

Waterbury Police did a welfare check on their home before midnight on November 13th. Peguero-Gomez was home but didn’t know of her whereabouts. Just about an hour after their interaction, police say surveillance video shows his black Toyota Corolla leaving the area and later crossing the George Washington Bridge.

"On 11-15, the New Jersey Port Authority located that vehicle registered to Mr. Peguero-Gómez in the parking lot at Newark International Airport in New Jersey," said Lt. Silvero.

Family and friends believe he may have fled to the Dominican Republic.

In Waterbury, the search continued outside their bar where Avalo-Alvarez's car was found locked around back. Friends, Family and even people who didn’t know her gathered to help.

"This morning I woke up in the cold and I just thought to myself it’s freezing like we need to find her," said Madelyn Reyes.

They began by passing out flyers to nearby businesses before expanding to Hamilton Park. The heavily wooded area is less than a mile from the bar.

"If something was going on like this, I would hope that the community would come together and try to make a good situation out of it," said Jillian Arduini.

Waterbury Police say Avalo-Alvarez's family is devastated by the events but remain hopeful. They are asking anyone with information that could help piece a timeline together to contact them.

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