Miami, Florida- 72-Year-Old Suspect Charged in 1992 Miami Jewelry Store Murder After Cold Case Reopened

Miami, Florida– After more than 30 years, Miami police have arrested 72-year-old Omar Roy for the 1992 murder of Dionisio Carlos Valladares, the owner of Zamora Jewelry Store. Valladares was found shot to death inside his shop, located at 1006 Southwest 1st Street, on May 6, 1992. Roy has been charged with first-degree murder as the investigation into this cold case gains traction, once again spotlighting an unsolved crime that has lingered in the city’s memory, according to NBC Miami.

The arrest was made possible after a new lead detective was assigned to the case on May 8, and began to methodically review past evidence, finding several inconsistencies in Roy’s previous testimonies. Witnesses had reported hearing a “bang” coming from the store at the time of the murder, and investigators located Roy’s fingerprints in the vicinity—a broken mirror shelf and a telephone, indicating that he was present during the crime

Additional evidence links Roy to the crime scene, including a large quantity of gold jewelry found by the Florida Highway Patrol in his vehicle shortly after the murder. This jewelry was hidden inside a baby diaper in a brown bag—elements that police now confirm were pilfered the day Valladares was killed. At the time, Roy was charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property, adding weight to the case against him. In a statement obtained by NBC Miami, authorities detail these discoveries.

In court, despite arguments from Roy’s attorney that there was insufficient new evidence to substantiate the charges, Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause based on the affidavit. The defense’s argument that “There’s nothing indicating that Mr. Roy shot the alleged victim,” failed to sway the court. Judge Glazer highlighted an earlier arrest in 1993, where Roy was convicted of manslaughter and served 15 years in prison—a context that could potentially influence the current allegations. Roy is currently being held without bond and is expected to appear before a division judge, as reported by NBC Miami.

As the case progresses, the public’s attention has been drawn not only to the past but also to the image of the accused. A mugshot of Omar Roy, taken yesterday, shows the face of a man now entangled in a legal battle decades in the making. Details of his arrest, such as his height, weight, and the specifics of the charges—murder in the first degree and robbery—are listed on the Miami-Dade County mugshot website.

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