Arrest made in homicide of Palm Coast clerk

32-year-old Zuheily Rosado was shot, killed in February

PALM COAST, Fla. – Deputies say they have made an arrest in the case of a Palm Coast gas station clerk who was shot and killed in February.

17040834

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office said they have arrested Joseph Bova II in the homicide of Zuheily Rosado, who was shot and killed at the Mobil Mart on Feb. 22.

Deputies called Bova, 25, a "drifter" and said he had been living out of his car since Rosado's death. He used to live in a Flagler County apartment complex.

[WATCH: Police discuss Joseph Bova case | Bova walks out of police car]

Deputies said the key piece of evidence linking Bova to Rosado's murder was the gun. They collected evidence from the gun, a 9 milimeter semi-automatic made by a company named Sky, and found the gun in Bova's car after an anonymous tip from Crimeline.

"This was a unique weapon so that gave us a much smaller group of people to look at," said Flagler County Sheriff James Manfre. "He went in very military style executed Ms. Rosado."

The ballistics match prompted deputies to arrest him, but they said they aren't clear what Bova's motive is.

"It is disturbing. It is something that unsettles a community when it occurs," Manfre said. "It's part of our human nature that we want to know why people do things but the nature of criminal behavior is sometimes there isn't an answer."

Deputies said they have evidence he was in the store hours before Rosado's death but just came in to use the ATM and had almost no interaction with Rosado.

He was in Palm Beach County Jail, where he is being held on no bond, and will be brought back to Flagler County.

Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for updates on this story.


Recommended Videos