In the late hours of a summer night in Buffalo, New York, 54-year-old James McCloskey was making his way down Arkansas Street, pushing a shopping cart filled with cans. It was shortly after midnight on August 17, 2015, when his path was fatefully crossed by two brothers, 20-year-old German Rosado-Thomas and his 16-year-old sibling, Alvin Marrero. In a violent attempt to rob McCloskey, the situation escalated quickly and tragically.
The younger brother, Alvin Marrero, initiated the
assault by striking McCloskey in the head with a fake gun. Following this, German Rosado-Thomas proceeded to pistol-whip the defenseless man before shooting him in the abdomen. After the brutal attack, the two brothers fled the scene, leaving James McCloskey to die on the street without having taken anything from him. The entire harrowing incident was captured by private surveillance cameras in the area. McCloskey was transported to Erie County Medical Center, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the homicide was handled by the Buffalo Police Homicide Unit, who worked in conjunction with the Erie County District Attorney's office. Their efforts led to the arrests of German Rosado-Thomas and Alvin Marrero. Despite his age, Marrero was charged as an adult. Both were initially charged with second-degree murder.
In March of 2016, the two brothers pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of Manslaughter in the 1st Degree before an Erie County Court Judge. By May of that year, they were facing sentencing with the possibility of up to 25 years in prison for their roles in the senseless death of James McCloskey.
