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Marques Wanderson, 46, was taken into custody by the Spanish National Police in August 2024. U.S. Marshals transported him back to the U.S. on Thursday, February 6, and immediately handed him over to Bridgeport Police.
Police say Wanderson is responsible for the Aug. 2, 2009, shooting death of 49-year-old Harold Gantt at an apartment complex on the 200 block of Madison Avenue.
Bridgeport officers responded to reports of gunfire that night and found Gantt suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives determined that Gantt and Wanderson, who lived in the same building, had an ongoing dispute leading up to the shooting. Retired Bridgeport Police Captain James Viadero secured an arrest warrant for Wanderson just three days later.
Investigators believe Wanderson fled the country immediately after the murder, traveling across multiple nations to evade capture.
His luck ran out last summer when Spanish authorities took him into custody. Officials credited international law enforcement cooperation for his arrest and extradition.
Gantt, a South Carolina native, was a devoted father of eight and a loyal employee of Interstate Battery of Fairfield, according to an obituary shared on Legacy. At the time of his passing, Gantt left behind his father, eight children, a sister, and a fiancée, Mary Spodnik of Stratford. He was also survived by nine grandchildren, two nieces, a nephew, and several aunts and uncles.
Wanderson is being held on a $5 million bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning at Bridgeport Superior Court.
Authorities thanked the Spanish government, the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut State’s Attorney’s Office, and the FBI’s Interpol Liaison for their roles in the extradition. A special acknowledgment was given to Chief State Inspector James Viadero for his efforts in the case.
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