On a Saturday afternoon, March 28, 2020, the life of Mark Vuono, a 69-year-old White male, was tragically cut short in his Stamford, Connecticut, jewelry store. The owner of Marco Jewelers for over four decades, Vuono was a devoted husband and father known for his tremendous work ethic and for treating everyone fairly. That afternoon, what began as a business day like any other ended in a violent robbery that stunned the community. A customer entering the shop at approximately 2:48 p.m. discovered a crime scene and immediately alerted the police. First responders arrived to find Vuono on the ground in front of an open safe; he had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later confirmed his death as a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the head.
The ensuing investigation, a collaborative effort involving Stamford police and federal authorities, quickly identified three suspects from New York. Surveillance footage revealed that Paul "Tony Pro" Prosano, 59, drove Thomas Liberatore, 62, and Robert Rallo, 56, to Marco Jewelers in a black Jaguar. Inside the store, Rallo, armed with a handgun, entered into a physical struggle with Vuono, who was also armed. While the two men fought for over three minutes near the open safe, Liberatore stole jewelry from the display cases. The altercation reached a devastating conclusion when Rallo reached into the safe, grabbed a. 357 Magnum revolver belonging to Vuono, and fatally shot him. The robbers fled with jewelry valued between $360,000 and $430,000.
Law enforcement tracked the black Jaguar to Staten Island. A few days later, on March 31, investigators watched as Prosano arrived in a BMW and met Rallo, who then got into the Jaguar. A police chase ensued, ending with both vehicles crashing and authorities apprehending Rallo and Prosano as they tried to flee on foot. Liberatore was arrested shortly after, on April 1, 2020. A search of the suspects' vehicles and Prosano's residence uncovered a significant amount of the stolen jewelry. The three men, all of whom had extensive criminal histories and had met in prison, were brought to face federal charges for their roles in the robbery and murder. Robert Rallo eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder. Following a trial, a jury found Paul Prosano and Thomas Liberatore guilty; Prosano was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and Liberatore received a 32-year sentence.
