Six years after a deadly late-night confrontation outside a downtown Passaic nightclub, authorities say 35-year-old Passaic resident Jean Cordero has finally been brought back to New Jersey to face a murder charge. Cordero was arrested in the Bronx and is now being held in the Passaic County Jail as prosecutors ready a case tied to the 2020 stabbing.
Fugitive Tracked to Bronx Apartment
Investigators tracked Cordero to an address on East Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx, where they executed a warrant and arrested him on March 24, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. The operation brought together the New Jersey State Police, Passaic Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service, and authorities say Cordero was taken into custody without incident.
Returned to Passaic to Face Charges
Patch reported that Cordero was extradited to New Jersey and booked into the Passaic County Jail on April 6. Officials have not yet released information on an arraignment date or any bond determination, and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office is expected to lead the case.
Stabbing Outside Fiesta Night Club and Most Wanted Listing
Police say Cordero is charged with first-degree murder and related weapons offenses in the killing of 36-year-old Juan Marquez, who was stabbed outside the Fiesta Night Club on President Street in Passaic in November 2020, according to New Jersey State Police. State Police added Cordero to their Most Wanted list in May 2025 as a nationwide search for him continued.
What Comes Next in the Case
Under New Jersey law, a conviction for first-degree murder can carry a sentence ranging from 30 years to life in prison, with life without parole possible if certain aggravating factors are found, per N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3 as summarized by Justia. Prosecutors are expected to schedule an arraignment and pretrial hearings, but officials have not yet released a court timeline or offered further public comment.
