A New York man convicted of killing a well-known Stamford jewelry store owner will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced Robert Rallo, 59, of Brooklyn, to 40 years for the deadly shooting of Mark Vuono, 69, nearly three years ago. Rallo is the first of the three suspects in the case to be sentenced. All have been convicted.

Rallo previously pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, interstate transportation of stolen property and using a firearm to cause a death during a robbery.

“For the family, I hope it gives closure. It's the final step in the process,” said Stamford police Sgt. Sean Boeger, who worked the case.

On the afternoon of March 28, 2020, an armed Rallo and Thomas Liberatore, then 62, of White Plains, walked into Marco Jewelers on Sixth Street with what Boeger called a clear and calculated plan to rob the place. A third man—Paul “Tony Pro” Prosano, then 59, of Brooklyn—was in on it too, as the driver. Surveillance cameras inside the store captured Rallo and Vuono in a physical fight as Liberatore raided the display cases.

“The whole entire crime itself was caught on video. It was graphic,” Boeger recalled.

During the struggle, Rallo managed to reach into an open safe, take hold of a revolver and shoot Vuono, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Vuono was found lying on the floor in front of the safe and was pronounced dead at the scene.

It was a crime that was especially disturbing to the community, where Vuono was in business for more than 40 years.

“There’s a lot of residents here that know him and his wife, his two sons personally just because they've done business with them over the years. It's a mom-and-pop jewelry store. It always has been. So, when you have tragedy hit a prominent member of society like that, it's a little bit more shocking to the soul, I think,” Boeger said.

A joint investigation by the FBI, Stamford police, Greenwich police and departments in New York led investigators to arrest Rallo, Liberatore and Prosano in Staten Island, NY, two days later. Boeger said they used surveillance video, technology and phone records to track the suspects. A search of the car they were in and one of the suspect's homes found nearly 100 pieces of jewelry stolen from Marco Jewelers.

Boeger admitted in his 25-year career, this case was more emotional to him than most. He told News 12 he spent three hours in an interview room with Rallo who'd previously been convicted of two prior homicides. Rallo had only been out a year. The U.S. attorney’s office said he met his accomplices in prison.

“The department is very pleased with the sentence that was handed down by the judge. Hopefully, this incapacitates the suspect from being able to commit any further crimes,” Boeger said.

In December, Liberatore and Prosano went to trial where a federal jury found them guilty of interference with commerce by robbery and interstate transportation of stolen property. Those charges carry a sentence of up to 30 years. Liberatore was also convicted of aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to cause a death during a robbery, which carries a sentence of up to life.

The Vuono family declined to comment to News 12 except to thank the community for all their support.