By: Richard L. Smith
A Passaic man has been arrested and charged in connection with a fatal stabbing that occurred more than five years ago, authorities announced.
According to a statement released by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Jean Cordero, 35, of Passaic, has been charged in the November 22, 2020 homicide of 41-year-old Juan Marquez.
Police were initially dispatched around 2:29 a.m. to the area of President Street and Parker Avenue on reports of a fight.
Upon arrival, officers found Marquez suffering from multiple stab wounds.
He was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators determined that the victim and witnesses had been robbed and assaulted by a group of men.
Authorities allege that Cordero was among those involved and is accused of stabbing the victim during the incident.
A warrant for Cordero’s arrest was issued on November 23, 2020. Officials said he remained at large until recently, when he was located in the Bronx, New York, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit.
Cordero was extradited back to New Jersey on April 6, 2026. Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking his pre-trial detention, with a court hearing expected at a later date.
Authorities said the charges against Cordero include murder, weapons offenses, robbery, and conspiracy.
If convicted on the most serious charge, he faces a potential sentence ranging from 30 years to life in prison.