BOCA RATON, Fla. – Boca Raton police arrested three people in connection with an armed robbery and a fatal shooting at Josephine's of Boca in January.
On Monday, police announced first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm charges against Samuel Walker, Jr., 28; Adalberto Montalvo, 29; and, Quinton Sylvestre, 26.
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The three suspects and another person ambushed bartender Rafael Rodriguez and a waiter as they exited the back door of Josephine's of Boca on Jan. 4, police say. The suspects then stormed the restaurant and took any valuables they could.
Rodriguez, who dated the owner of the restaurant, confronted one of robbers as they left. One of the men shot and killed him.
Rodriguez had a concealed weapons permit, but it's unclear if he was armed the night of the robbery.
Investigators found the trio by tracking a watch stolen in the robbery and say DNA evidence links them to the shooting.
Police say they found who bought the stolen Chopard watch. Store surveillance video showed Montalvo and Sylvestre sold the watch and phone records showed they exchanged calls with Walker the night before and after the robbery.
Detectives determined all three phones were in Boca Raton in the area of Josephine's during the time of the robbery, police say. Walker was identified as the third person present when the watch was sold.
During searches at the suspects' homes, police seized a backpack containing three firearms and a hockey mask, and shoes, police say. Several of these items were consistent with items seen on surveillance video recorded at the restaurant. Shoe prints found at the scene matched the soles of one of the pairs of shoes detectives seized.
Investigators are still looking for a fourth suspect.