Home Invasion Suspects Captured

A Hartford man was arrested Friday afternoon in connection with a brazen knife-point home invasion on South Main Street, and an alleged accomplice was taken into custody earlier in New Britain, said.

The suspects, each a convicted felon with long histories of arrests for violent offenses, were captured by West Hartford detectives without incident, Officer Todd Myers said.

The men forced their way through the front door of a home at 166 S. Main St. on July 15 shortly before noon and stole $3,000 in cash and $7,350 in jewelry, police said. The homeowner, who had answered a doorbell, was not injured.

“Even though arrests have been made, the investigation is ongoing,” Myers said.

William Viera, 43, who allegedly wielded an eight-inch knife during the robbery 1 mile from West Hartford Center, was found about 3 p.m. by detectives in the area of Park and Putnam Streets in Hartford’s Frog Hollow neighborhood, Myers said.

Hartford police assisted in the arrest.

Israel Gonzalez, 32, was taken into custody Thursday at 7:40 p.m. at his residence at 151 Hayes St. in New Britain. He was matched to a fingerprint left at the home, investigators said.

Gonzalez was arraigned Friday in Hartford Superior Court on multiple felony charges, including home invasion, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, first-degree unlawful restraint, and second-degree larceny, police said.

Gonzalez, who has 11 arrests dating to 1995, including kidnapping and assault, was held on bail set at $1 million. Judge John M. Newson also moved the case to Part A of the criminal division for the state's most serious alleged crimes.

Viera was expected to be arraigned Monday in Superior Court on the same charges. He was held on $500,000 bail, Myers said.

Viera has eight convictions stemming from arrests in six towns dating to 2002, ranging from narcotics and larceny to strangulation and disorderly conduct, according to court records.

Detective Dawn Lascari said in an arrest warrant for Gonzalez that an unknown man — later identified as Viera — rang the front doorbell and asked the homeowner for “Benjamin.” Viera then pushed his way inside, knocking down the homeowner.

The victim was restrained with a shirt and an eight-inch knife was pressed against his index finger, police said.

Gonzalez allegedly entered the home next and was apparently not seen by the victim.

The suspects initially took a college ring and a Rolex watch, emptied the victim's wallet, then were led to cash that was concealed in a cookbook on a bookshelf, police said.

Police said Gonzalez’s fingerprint was lifted from another book, “The New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made.”

Before leaving, the suspects bound the victim again with a pair of pants and placed swim trunks over his head.