Hombre de Jersey City se culpa de abuso sexual y asesinato de mujer de Jersey City Carolina Cano

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:

On Monday, February 3, 2020, Jorge A. Rios, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree aggravated sexual assault related to the death of Carolina Cano that occurred on March 24, 2019 in Jersey City. Rios admitted to sexually assaulting and then strangling Cano in the early morning hours on that date in Lincoln Park.

The State is recommending a sentence of 30 years in New Jersey state prison subject to the No Early Release Act for the murder and 10 years for the aggravated sexual assault to be served concurrently. The crime of murder carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years of parole ineligibility.

On March 24, 2019, shortly after 7:30 a.m., the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible body found in Lincoln Park in Jersey City. Responding Hudson County Sheriff’s Officers found the body of Carolina Cano, age 45, of Jersey City, in the lake in Lincoln Park. Cano was pronounced dead at approximately 9:30 a.m. The Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be homicidal violence including strangulation and water submersion and the manner of death to be homicide.

On March 31, 2019, members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force arrested and charged Rios for the murder of Carolina Cano.

On June 19, 2019, a Hudson County Grand Jury returned an Indictment against Rios charging him with four counts related to the death of Carolina Cano. The Indictment charged Rios with Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Sexual Assault and Kidnapping.

Sentencing in this case has been scheduled for April 24, 2020 before the Honorable Patrick Arre, J.S.C., who accepted the guilty plea.

The State is represented in this case by Assistant Prosecutor Najma Rana of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit.