Missing Connecticut woman, Janet Avalo-Alvarez, is found in the woods, strangled to death – Cops say her live-in boyfriend Esmerli Peguero-Gomez has ‘fled to the Dominican Republic’
Body of missing woman, Janet Avalo-Alvarez, of Waterbury, Connecticut, found Tuesday
Avalo-Alvarez, 26, vanished on Nov 13, and her body was found in woods, a week later
A friend was the last to hear from her after receiving a text message from her cell phone around 10.20pm on the night of Nov 13
Her locked car was found parked in the rear of the club with her keys and purse after she went missing
Medical examiner confirmed Wednesday that the body who was indeed Janet Avalo-Alvarez – she was strangled
32-year-old Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, her 32-year-old live-in boyfriend and business partner in a nightclub venture, is suspected of killing her
Police said Peguero-Gomez who has dual citizenship likely has ‘fled to the Dominican Republic’
Thee suspect abandoned the couple’s home after police interviewed him – His car was found hours later, parked at Newark airport in New Jersey
![Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, [left], and Janet Avalo-Alvarez 1](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Esmerli-Peguero-Gomez-left-and-Janet-Avalo-Alvarez-1.jpg?resize=620%2C365&ssl=1)
Connecticut authorities said Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, [left], is a suspect in the murder of Janet Avalo-Alvarez, [right]. He is the dead woman’s live-in boyfriend, and is believed to have fled to the Dominican Republic
26-year-old Avalo-Alvarez had been missing since November 12, and her death has been ruled a homicide after the Chief Medical Examiner found she had been strangled.
‘Sadly the worst nightmares of the family and friends were confirmed,’ Waterbury police Lt. David Silverio said at a news conference on Tuesday.
‘The deceased was positively identified as Ms. Janet Avalo-Alvarez. The family has been informed and as of this update, as you can well imagine, they are devastated.’
Her live-in boyfriend Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, 32, is a suspect in the case and is wanted for questioning police say, but he appears to have fled the country.
‘To the family and friends of Ms. Avalo-Alvarez, the Waterbury Police Department will continue to investigate all leads into this homicide,’ Silverio said.
‘The investigation will continue until all… responsible are identified, located and held accountable for their actions.’
![Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, [left], and Janet Avalo-Alvarez 2](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Esmerli-Peguero-Gomez-left-and-Janet-Avalo-Alvarez-2.jpg?resize=620%2C556&ssl=1)
A friend was the last to hear from the 26-year-old after receiving a text message from her cell phone around 10.20pm on the night of Nov 13. Her locked car was found parked in the rear of the club with her keys and purse after she went missing
The pair of Esmerli Peguero-Gomez and Avalo-Alvarez who lived together were business partners in La Casa Taina [photo], a nightclub in Waterbury, also known as La Guakara Taina
Police say the remains of Avalo-Alvarez’s were found in woods in Wolcott, Connecticut, near Waterbury on Tuesday
She did not answer her cell phone or respond to anyone who has reached out on social media since her last known communication.
A friend was the last to hear from Avalo-Alvarez, after receiving a text message from her cell phone around 10.20pm last Tuesday night, Waterbury Police Department revealed.
Her locked Nissan was then found the next day in the rear parking lot of the club, also known was La Guakara Taina, along with her keys and purse, cops say.
Investigators were able to find Janet Avalo-Alvarez’s body after looking through surveillance footage that led them to a block of woods in Wolcott where the car was seen and her body was found by detectives on Tuesday.
After reviewing the footage they began tracking the missing woman from where her car had been. It led them to woods in Wolcott, Connecticut where detectives discovered the body on Tuesday.
A vigil was held for the Avalo-Alvarez outside the nightclub where she worked on Tuesday evening.
‘She was the essence of a Latina. She was very positive and loving. She did not deserve what she went through,’ Stevey Newnez said to the Hartford Courant.
‘With her beautiful smile, she would fix your day,’ said Ney Cosado, a DJ who worked at the nightclub and who knew Avalalo-Alvarez.
‘You could bring her any problem and she would say “Yeah, let’s do it.” … She was there. She would fix it.’
Connecticut police detail ‘grim’ findings in search for missing woman, Janet Avalo-Alvarez, Wednesday morning. confirming she was murdered by strangulation
On Tuesday evening, 32-year-old Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, was at the Ayers Street home the couple shared, when police came by that evening.
He told cops that he did not know where his missing live-in partner was. After being questioned, Peguero-Gomez‘s 2010 Toyota Corolla was spotted driving away from the home about 1am, cops say.
The same vehicle was confirmed crossing the George Washington Bridge from New York into New Jersey about 2.40am, police said before being located in the short-term parking area at Newark-Liberty International Airport.
Authorities said the whereabouts of Peguero-Gomez, who has family in the Dominican Republic and duel citizenship with the country, are not known.
After being interviewed by police, Pueguero-Gomez’s Toyota Corolla [photo], drove away from the couple’s Waterbury home about 1am. The same vehicle was later found at Newark airport and the owner dropped out of sight, suspected to have fled to the Dominican Republic
![Esmerli Peguero-Gomez, [right], and Janet Avalo-Alvarez 6.JPG](https://i0.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Esmerli-Peguero-Gomez-right-and-Janet-Avalo-Alvarez-6.jpg?resize=620%2C338&ssl=1)
Family and friends told investigators the couple [photo, right], often clashed over business and personal matters, say police. The boyfriend’s car was located in short-term parking at Newark-Liberty International Airport. Authorities said Pueguero-Gomez’s whereabouts are not known
Family and friends told investigators that the couple would often but heads over business and personal matters.
The same family members say they could not imagine the boyfriend hurting her, but were curious how he might be involved with her disappearance.
‘I hope he’s running because he’s scared of the situation’, the victim’s brother Randy Avalo told WFSB.
Authorities noted they had not responded to any domestic violence calls at the couple’s residence, and confirmed two of her family members were charged with an alleged burglary of the home, which they say they had broken into out of concern for her condition the previous Saturday.
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