New Haven Man, 55, Charged With Murder Of Woman Found Dead In Cemetery

NEW HAVEN, CT — Just before the sun went down on May 2, police got a 911 call about a body found in Evergreen Cemetery on Ella T. Grasso Blvd. Arriving officers discovered a 35-year-old New Haven woman dead on a dirt path near the cemetery's crematorium. Days later, police would identify the woman as Naysha Mendez.

Police said that, based on the number of stab wounds to Mendez’s body, it was "evident to investigators that this was a homicide." The following day, after an autopsy, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled it a homicide.

The case was assigned to Detective Thomas Blaisdell, of the Major Crimes Unit, who was able to identify Edwin Arroyo-Roman, 55, of New Haven as the suspect.

In an interview with Officer Jonathan Faya-Sanchez and Detective Jeremy Cordero, Arroyo-Roman confessed to murdering Mendez over an unpaid debt. He was arrested May 6 and was charged with murder and tampering with evidence. He is currently being held on $3 million bond.

Police are scheduled to hold a news briefing at 1 p.m. Wednesday. This post may be updated if new information is learned.