Jayquan Straker, a parolee who had recently been released from prison after serving time for a home invasion burglary, was arrested in June for the murder of popular sneaker reseller Javier Osorio-Mejia in SoHo. Straker had been previously arrested for illegal gun possession shortly after his release from prison. Despite the disposition of the weapons case being unclear, Straker was back on the streets at the time of the murder. He was identified as the suspect in the murder with the help of video evidence from the crime scene showing him wearing distinctive black and yellow sneakers.
Straker, who is from upstate Poughkeepsie, was charged with Osorio-Mejia’s murder and is currently being held without bail. His alleged accomplice is still at large. The suspects reportedly followed Osorio-Mejia after stalking him at a strip club in Queens, then attacked him when he pulled over to use the bathroom in Soho. Straker is accused of shooting Osorio-Mejia and then robbing him, including stealing his Rolex watch. It is believed Osorio-Mejia was targeted for the expensive jewelry he was wearing in online photos.
Court documents revealed that Straker had been previously convicted for a 2013 home invasion burglary in Brooklyn, where he and an accomplice posed as FedEx workers and held a family at gunpoint. After serving 10 years in prison for this crime, Straker was released on parole. His involvement in illegal gun possession only months after his release raised red flags, leading to his subsequent arrest and now being charged with murder. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office confirmed that the records for this weapons case are sealed.
The case against Straker was bolstered by evidence from the murder scene and his own phone, which showed him wearing the same black and yellow sneakers as the individual who fired the fatal shot. Video footage obtained from iCloud, as well as surveillance footage from the crime scene, implicated Straker in the murder. He was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Osorio-Mejia. Despite being held without bail, Straker’s alleged accomplice has yet to be located by authorities.
The brutal murder of Javier Osorio-Mejia, a prominent figure in the sneaker reselling community, shocked many in the industry. Osorio-Mejia was described as a familiar face at sneaker releases in New York City for years, making his violent death all the more tragic. The details of the crime, including the premeditated nature of the attack and the robbery that followed the shooting, painted a grim picture of the events leading up to Osorio-Mejia’s death. The investigation into the murder is ongoing, with authorities working to locate and apprehend Straker’s accomplice in this heinous crime.
Straker’s criminal history and the circumstances surrounding his release and subsequent arrest have raised concerns about the parole system and the monitoring of released prisoners. The fact that Straker was able to return to the streets and allegedly commit another violent crime within months of his release has prompted calls for reform in the parole process. The tragic murder of Javier Osorio-Mejia has highlighted the dangers of individuals slipping through the cracks of the criminal justice system and the need for better supervision and support for parolees to prevent future tragedies.
