Suspect In 2025 Murder In Bridgeport Fled U.S.; Police Seek To Bring Him Back

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Bridgeport police are seeking to bring back to the United States a 30-year-old man, who is a suspect in an October 2025 murder, from Nicaragua, authorities announced.

Police obtained a warrant for the arrest of Douglas Jose Centeno-Vargas on charges of murder, risk of injury to a minor and tampering with evidence.

Centeno-Vargasis accused of murdering 24-year-old Eveling-IIena Rayo-Mairena, a young mother, on Black Rock Avenue on Oct. 21, 2025.

"Detectives identified Centeno-Vargas as the suspect roughly 12 hours into their investigation," police officials wrote on Facebook. "They subsequently learned at around 9:30 p.m. on October 21st, 2025, Centano-Vargas went to JFK Airport in New York and boarded a plane at around 3:30 a.m. on October 22nd bound for Nicaragua."

The department's Homicide division has been in contact with the U.S. State Department regarding an avenue to get Centeno-Vargas back to Connecticut for prosecution.

"Detectives had been working with the Connecticut State Laboratory and the Office of the State's Attorney since October gathering additional evidence," authorities said.

Whenever Centeno-Vargas is returned to the U.S., his bond will be $4 million, officials said.

Anyone with additional information on the case is urged to call Homicide Detective Elizabeth Santora at 203-581-5291.