Manchester Man Charged in West Hartford Home Invasion

A 40-year old Manchester man was arrested over the weekend in connection with a home invasion last week in West Hartford, the third suspect charged in the incident.

Nelson L. Viera of Wadsworth Street in Manchester was found about 3 a.m. Saturday at a commercial facility at 141 South St. in the Elmwood section of West Hartford, police said.

In addition to home invasion, Viera, 40, faced multiple felony charges Monday in Hartford Superior Court, including first-degree burglary and second-degree larceny, Det. Sgt. Andrew Schiffer said. He was held on $150,000 bail.

On Thursday, a St. Charles Street resident was able to call police from an upstairs bedroom about 2:15 p.m. after hearing a break-in through the front door, police said. As officers were arriving, two suspects fled on foot. One was caught a half-mile away and subdued with a Taser and the other surrendered under the threat of a Taser, police said.

“I have not heard to the contrary that it was anything other than a random event,” Schiffer said.

Israel Caez, 37, whose address was unknown, and Gilberto Mendez, 35, of 567 New Britain Ave. in Hartford were each charged with home invasion, first-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, third-degree larceny and interfering with an officer.

Caez was also charged with drug possession. His original bail was doubled to $500,000 at his arraignment Friday in Superior Court.

Mendez was held on bail set Friday at $100,000.

Police reportedly acted on information from a cooperating suspect to locate Viera.

Schiffer said jewelry and electronics worth about $5,000 were taken from the home.