Arrest made in killing of store owner

A man held in the 2015 killing of a Boynton liquor store owner says he and others robbed him after “brainstorming” for the best location to stick up, according to a police report.

Eric Glenn Colbert, who at the time lived less than 100 feet from Boynton’s Liquor Mart, told police he knew that only one person usually worked at the store, and that the area was quiet, according to his arrest report.

Store owner Ali Arezoumandifar, 79, of Jupiter, was set to retire the day after his shooting, family members said at the time.

Colbert, 27, faces charges of murder and armed robbery in the killing, police said.

The shooting happened Nov. 22 at the

liquor store, at 1640 S. Congress Ave. A customer called police after walking into the liquor store and noticing the cash register drawer open and Arezoumandifar with a gunshot wound to his stomach, according to the report.

Tips led police to Colbert, who interviewed him at Broward County Jail. There, he said he picked the robbery location after driving around South Florida with other people while brainstorming where to commit the crime, according to the report.

Colbert told investigators that during the robbery he fired his gun and intentionally missed Arezoumandifar in order to speed him up and that a second gunman also fired — and hit Arezoumandifar, police said.

No other arrests have been announced in Arezoumandifar’s killing.

Colbert and the other robber split the more than $400 at a hotel in Broward County, investigators said.

State records show Colbert’s probation for forgery and grand theft charges from 2014 ended last month.

The case remains under investigation, police said.

Family members of Arezoumandifar said they were too distraught Wednesday to talk about the arrest, according to Sun Sentinel news partner WPEC-CBS12.

Staff researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

Colbert, top, is charged in the slaying of Arezoumandifar