September 29, 2009 (Kearny, NJ)  The Kearny Police have arrested both the gunman and his accomplice who killed Xavier Egoavail during a robbery of Rachel's Jewelry in Kearny. 

This morning the Kearny Police with the assistance of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Squad and the Belleville Police arrested John DeRosa, 51, while he was traveling in a taxi in Belleville.  DeRosa had been under surveillance and is the suspected gunman who previously served 14 years in jail for a 1987 aggravated manslaughter.  DeRosa was released on May 2, 2001 and apparently resided in Kearny at one time.  The suspects apparently staked out Rachel's Jewelry days before the robbery by sitting outside Arco's Bakery just down the block from the jewelry store.

The Kearny Police had previously arrested Elvis Feratovic, the suspected getaway driver, after a tip led to a body shop in Passaic which was set to make changes to Feratovic's car which is the suspected getaway car.

A third suspect, Elmir Sokoli, 23,  of Bloomfield turned himself in to the Kearny Police with the assistance of his attorney this afternoon after he heard that detectives were looking for him.

Bail for John DeRosa was set at $2 Million cash only, Sokoli was set at $750,000 cash only. While bail for Elvis Feratovic was set at $750,000 cash or bond. 

Clearly, the major break in the case was the arrest of Elvis Feratovic.  A surveillance camera still of the getaway car produced by the Kearny Police Department led to a lead that broke the case wide open.  As previously reported on KOTW, the arrest of the suspected getaway driver would most likely lead to the arrest of the gunman and his accomplice who went into the store to commit the robbery.

The Jersey Journal covered the story throughout the day and the following are links to their coverage:

 Third suspect surrenders in Kearny jewelry store murder

Convicted killer charged in shooting death of Kearny jewelry store owner

Celeste Regal of the Observer also carried the news:

Xavier Egoavail's murderer charged

The most touching quote published in the Jersey Journal was Honorio Egoavail's, (father of murder victim Xavier Egoavail) quote made while he attended to customers at the reopened Rachel's Jewelry store, "The police can do what they have to do but it will not give me my son back. I will never have my son back."  So very true. The KOTW community is thankful for all the good police work that has lead to today's arrests.