Fill The Spot: 129 Ocean Avenue

On Oct. 12, 2007, Jared Silva was shot and killed during a robbery attempt after closing up his store for the evening. Almost five years later, the court has concluded the cases against the two men accused of involvement in the crime.

The long process has involved both defendants pleading to lesser charges and a murder trial resulting in a hung jury. On Aug. 2, 25-year-old Gary Clarke was sentenced to 40 years, suspended after 25 years, after pleading to first-degree manslaughter with a firearm. Cosmo Frieson, 24, was sentenced on Friday to 14 years after a 2009 plea to first-degree attempted robbery.

Since Silva's death, the package store he owned on the corner of Ocean Ave. and Squire Street has stood as a silent reminder of the crime. The main entrance is boarded up, but the sign for Jared's Packy remains overhead. At the counter, another sign still thanks customers for shopping at the store.

The store is currently being listed by U.S. Properties. What business would you like to see open here, and do you think there should be an effort to memorialize Silva at the site? Let us know in the comments.

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