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Robert Rallo, of New York, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, April 5, to charges in the robbery of Marco Jewelers in Stamford and the fatal shooting of owner Mark Vuono in March of 2020, according to Leonard Boyle, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Boyle said Rallo pleaded guilty to:
- Interference with commerce by robbery
- Interstate transportation of stolen property
- Using a firearm to cause a death during a robbery
Officers responded to the jewelry store, located at 16 6th St. in Stamford, at about 2:50 p.m. on March 28, 2020, and found Vuono lying on the ground in front of an open safe, Boyle said.
Police called emergency personnel, and Vuono was pronounced dead.
Investigators found through surveillance video that Rallo had a physical altercation with Vuono while an associate of Rallo's stole items from display cases, the US Attorney's Office reported.
Rallo and Vuono fought next to an open safe, and Rallo reached into the safe and pulled out a firearm, which he used to shoot and kill Vuono, Boyle reported.
On March 30, Rallo was arrested after he was involved in a crash with an associate, the US Attorney's Office reported.
After the crash, police reportedly found the following items stolen from Marco Jewelers in one of the vehicles and in the home of one of the drivers:
- 63 rings
- Eight bracelets
- Two tie pins
- An earring and a cufflink
- 23 pairs of earrings
- Three rings
Rallo is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, June 28, according to the announcement.
Two associates of Rallo's are facing related charges and are in custody while they await trial, Boyle said.
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