NYPD arrests suspect in murder of famous ‘Upscale Crocc’ sneaker reseller

Police arrested a man from the north of the state on Thursday for the fatal shooting of famous sneaker retailer “Upscale Cracc” in Soho last spring.

Jayquan Straker, 35, was charged with first-degree murder for shooting Javier Osario-Mejia in what police believed was a robbery gone wrong. The Poughkeepsie resident is also accused of robbery and illegal possession of a firearm, police said.

Osario-Mejia was shot in the right thigh in June outside a luxury clothing store on Greene Street near Grand Street. Police sources said the injury was so severe at the time that it was believed he had been shot multiple times.

The well-known sneaker fan had planned to open a new store on Houston Street, according to a friend who spoke to the Daily News shortly after the shooting.

The friend, who gave his name as Andre, said Osario-Meija had a daughter whom he raised alongside his work and described him as a “very active father.”

“It doesn't feel random. It feels intentional. Everyone loved him,” Andre said at the time.

What led to Straker's arrest almost two months after his victim's death was still unclear as of Saturday evening.

Originally published: August 24, 2024 at 11:18 pm