Leopoldo M. Vela, a 57-year-old Hispanic man, was a business owner on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Originally from La Calera, Zacatecas, Mexico, Vela owned Corona Jewelry, a store located at 1401 S. 7th Street. The business, also known as Los Tres Portillo's Centro de Envios, served as a jewelry store, pawnshop, and grocery store, and also bought gold and offered money transfers. Vela was a familiar face in his community, known to customers and local officials, including Alderman José Pérez, with whom he had discussed business licensing matters.
On the morning of October 31, 2016, what should have been a normal business day turned tragic. At around 10:35 a.m., a man entered Corona Jewelry in what police described as a robbery. During the incident, Leopoldo Vela was shot in the chest. He was transported to a local hospital, but he later died from his injuries.
Friends and customers who knew Vela were shocked by his death, describing it as a senseless act of violence and saying he did not deserve to die in such a way.
The Milwaukee Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Investigators recovered surveillance images from the store that captured a male suspect they believed was involved in the fatal robbery. On November 1, 2016, police publicly released photographs of the man and asked for help from anyone who might recognize him. They urged residents and people familiar with the area around South 7th Street and West Greenfield Avenue to review the images and come forward with any information.
The killing also drew the attention of the national jewelry industry. On November 4, 2016, the Jewelers' Security Alliance announced it was offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for Vela's murder. The organization noted that his death was the second industry-related homicide in the United States that year. The reward was intended to encourage anyone with knowledge of the crime or the suspect's identity to contact authorities.
As of January 2017, authorities were still searching for the suspect seen in the surveillance footage. Despite the release of the images and the offer of a reward, no arrests have been announced in the case. The murder of Leopoldo Vela remains unsolved. Anyone with information is asked to call the Milwaukee Police Department at (414) 935-7360 or Lt. Paul Lough of the Homicide Division at 414-935-7411. The Jewelers' Security Alliance can be reached at its Reward Hotline at 800-325-1883.
