New York—A 51-year-old man faces a maximum sentence of life in prison after being convicted in the March 2022 beating death of 60-year-old Arasb Shoughi, owner of the Global Pawn Shop in the New York City borough of Queens.
A jury returned a guilty verdict against Rodolfo Lopez-Portillo of Hollis, Queens, last week after a day of deliberations, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
According to the charges and testimony at the four-week trial, Lopez-Portillo entered the Global Pawn Shop shortly before 1 p.m. on March 28, 2022, wearing a black face mask, black hood, black gloves, and sunglasses.
He sold two watches to Shoughi, who paid him in cash and then entered the customer side of the shop to put the watches in a showcase.
Lopez-Portillo removed one of his gloves, “discreetly” displayed what authorities believe was a metal pipe, then struck Shoughi on the head when his back was turned, the DA’s office said.
Shoughi fell to the ground and Lopez-Portillo began hitting him repeatedly before going to the back of the pawn shop where he stole coins and jewelry with his ungloved hand.
According to the DA’s office, Lopez-Portillo began beating Shoughi again until he stopped moving, then he stole a ring and other personal property off Shoughi’s person.
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A woman who entered the pawn shop saw Lopez-Portillo behind the counter and went outside to call the police.
Lopez-Portillo then fled the store but not before striking Shoughi on the head three more times, the DA’s office said.
Shoughi was rushed to the hospital after the attack and died there on April 17, three weeks after the robbery.
He was one of two jewelers killed on the job in 2022, according to the Jewelers’ Security Alliance annual report for 2022.
Lopez-Portillo fled to Baltimore. He was apprehended at a Greyhound bus station there about one month after the murder.
Authorities found his suitcase at a home in Baltimore. It contained coins, watches, and jewelry, and some of the coins were identified as the ones stolen from Shoughi’s pawn shop, the DA’s office said.
In addition, the defendant’s fingerprints were a match for those found at the crime scene.
Lopez-Portillo was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
His sentencing is set for May 11. He faces 25 years to life in prison.