Thirteen years after an unarmed security guard was shot dead on a late-night apartment patrol, Arizona investigators have finally made an arrest in the cold case, abc15.com reported.
Phoenix Police announced that 43-year-old Joe Gerardo was taken into custody on November 3 in Globe, ending a long-running homicide investigation. Gerardo now sits in a Maricopa County jail facing a charge of first-degree murder.
The deadly attack unfolded in the dark hours of November 29, 2013. At around 1:30 a.m., 59-year-old Jeffrey Bellemare was working as an unarmed, uniformed security guard at the Graybriar Apartments near 55th Avenue and Indian School Road, according to fox10phoenix.com.
According to previous reporting cited by abc15.com, Bellemare was patrolling the complex on a bicycle when he was ambushed. Witnesses at the time reported hearing gunshots and seeing two people flee the scene toward an older-model sedan featuring a vinyl top.
For over a decade, the case remained stubbornly unsolved despite steady efforts by detectives. “In the months and years following this incident, Phoenix Police homicide detectives worked tirelessly in the pursuit of numerous leads related to this murder,” Phoenix Police Sgt. John Buchanan said, as reported by fox10phoenix.com.
The Arrest in Globe
The breakthrough finally arrived when cold case investigators reviewed new information. Through sustained investigative work, homicide detectives identified Gerardo as the suspect, leading to his apprehension in Globe on November 3, fox10phoenix.com reported.
Phoenix Police arrested 43-year-old Joe Gerardo in Globe in connection with the November 2013 deadly shooting of Jeffrey Bellemare, an unarmed security guard. https://t.co/2r0anxoadW pic.twitter.com/vHWAA2h0ls
Authorities have not yet revealed the specific nature of the new information that cracked the file open. Police also have not disclosed a potential motive for the shooting.
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