Killer robber charged with beating Queens pawn shop owner to death with metal rod

A murderous jewelry thief used a metal rod to bludgeon to death a Queens pawn shop owner during a robbery in March, cops said.

Rondolfo Lopez-Portillo, 48, was arrested Wednesday and accused of delivering a fatal, caught-on-video beating on March 28 to Arasb Shoughi at the Global Pawn Shop on Jamaica Ave. near 179th St. in Jamaica.

Lopez-Portillo, who lives a half-mile away from the pawn shop, showed up with some watches he was trying to sell, cops said.

He then forced his way to the back of the shop, knocked Shoughi, 60, to the ground and used the metal rod to deliver blow after blow while the store owner tried to shield himself with his hands, police allege.

Lopez-Portillo scooped up some jewelry and ran, said cops.

Another customer walked into the store a short time later and found Shoughi. Responding officers first thought the store owner had been shot.

Shoughi died three weeks later, on April 17.

The suspect wore a mask over his face and a distinctive green Adidas baseball cap, surveillance video show.

Police followed used surveillance footage to track the suspect to a building — and then got an image of him later wearing different clothes, and without his mask.

Lopez-Portillo was charged Wednesday with murder, robbery and criminal possession of a weapon. He awaits arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.