(Photo courtesy of NCPD)
Nassau County police released a video that depicted a man walking through a parking lot near Roslyn Road in Mineola, where Oscar Alfredo Ventura Granados was shot and killed in his driveway on Jan. 11 at 9:36 p.m. Police are still investigating the incident and released a composite sketch provided by an eyewitness.
Authorities declined to reveal if the witness is a neighbor or passerby.
“We believe the motive was some type of robbery,” Homicide Squad Commanding Officer Det. Captain John Azzata said. “To this day, we do not know what the loss is.”
Azzata said that Granados was known to carry “a substantial amount of cash.” Police believe Granados was “targeted,” but that police are considering all possibilities. He was also “involved in gambling.”
“Previously during the day, he was gambling,” Azzata said.
According to the video that was taken from a Mineola business, a man in a gray/black-hooded jacket walked through a snow-covered parking lot near Granados’ Roslyn Road home. Granados, 43, was returning home in a cab that night when a man approached him, police said. A struggle ensued, before Granados was shot.
“We believe [the video] is the subject,” said Azzata.
Azzata said the shooter did not steal anything from Granados, who Granados was found with his wallet filled with cash and a cellphone, police said.
“Evidence found on the person of the victim led us to believe that it was a robbery,” Azzata said.
The suspect’s voice that was described by Miguel Ventura, 35, the victim’s brother, as male in January, police said. Authorities still believe the suspect is “in the area.”
“We don’t have any intimate knowledge of him being followed or this just occurring on the street,” Azzata said.
Ventura said he heard struggling outside before the fatal shot hit Granados.
Police are still investigating if Granados’ alleged gambling, according to relatives, resulted in the incident. Authorities are asking people with information about the shooting to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.
