Thomas Breen photo
Chief Jacobson: Suspect has already confessed.
Less than a week after police found 35-year-old New Havener Naysha Mendez stabbed to death in Evergreen Cemetery, cops have arrested a 55-year-old man who they said has confessed to the crime.
Police Chief Karl Jacobson announced that arrest at the end of a separate press conference Wednesday afternoon about a recent arrest in a different city homicide case.
Jacobson said that police have arrested a 55-year-old New Havener on charges of murder and tampering with evidence for allegedly killing Mendez in Evergreen Cemetery last Friday evening. He said that police believe Mendez was killed in the 769 Ella T. Grasso Blvd. cemetery, as opposed to being killed elsewhere and then brought there after the fact.
“They had a relationship” and knew each other, Jacobson said about the arrested man and the victim.
He said that the arrested man is not Mendez’s husband, whom Jacobson said was also interviewed as part of this investigation. Jacobson said Mendez’s husband has been helpful as police made this quick arrest.
Jacobson said that the 55-year-old man was arrested Tuesday night, and that he “confessed” to killing Mendez, who was found with “multiple knife wounds” in the Hill cemetery Friday night.
Jacobson said that the murder suspect was arraigned in state court on Wednesday, and is being held on a $3 million bond.
The police chief singled out for praise Det. Thomas Blaisdell for helping make this “extremely fast” arrest. He also said that video surveillance footage from the cemetery and from the suspect’s residence assisted in this case.