Hollis man sentenced to 25 years to life for killing pawn shop owner during 2022 robbery

QUEENS, N.Y. — Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a Hollis man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the brutal killing of a pawn shop owner during a violent robbery in 2022.

Rodolfo Lopez-Portillo, 52, was convicted in April on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of Arasb Shoughi, 60, owner of Global Pawn Shop on Jamaica Avenue in Hollis.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Ira Margulis imposed the sentence Tuesday.

“Rodolfo Lopez-Portillo brazenly robbed a local business in the middle of the day and beat store owner Arasb Shoughi so severely that he never recovered,” Katz said. “The defendant then fled the state with some of the stolen goods to escape accountability. Nothing can undo what happened, but we hope today’s sentence of 25 years to life in prison provides a measure of solace to Mr. Shoughi’s loved ones.”

According to prosecutors and trial testimony, the attack occurred on March 28, 2022, shortly before 1 p.m. Lopez-Portillo entered the pawn shop wearing a black face mask, hooded clothing, gloves, and sunglasses. He sold two wristwatches to Shoughi, who paid him cash for the items.

After the transaction, Shoughi moved to the customer side of the store to place the watches into a display case. Prosecutors said Lopez-Portillo then removed one glove, revealed what appeared to be a metal pipe, and struck the victim in the head from behind.

Shoughi collapsed to the floor as Lopez-Portillo continued beating him repeatedly, causing catastrophic head injuries and severe blood loss.

Authorities said the defendant then moved behind the counter, stealing coins, jewelry, and other valuables before taking Shoughi’s ring and personal belongings. During the attack, a woman entered the store and observed Lopez-Portillo behind the counter. She exited the business and called police.

Before fleeing, prosecutors said Lopez-Portillo struck the victim three additional times in the head.

Shoughi was transported to a hospital with severe brain trauma and died on April 17, 2022.

Investigators used surveillance footage to trace Lopez-Portillo’s movements before the attack, identifying him leaving a nearby apartment building earlier that morning. Following the murder, Lopez-Portillo fled to Baltimore, where he remained for approximately two weeks before authorities arrested him at a Greyhound bus station.

Police later recovered a suitcase from a Baltimore residence containing coins, jewelry, and watches, including items identified as property stolen from the pawn shop.

Fingerprints recovered from the crime scene matched Lopez-Portillo, prosecutors said.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney John Esposito of the Queens District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Olivia Quinto of Felony Trial Bureau III.

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