Affidavit: Alleged Robber Admitted Dragging Getty Owner With SUV

The Lake Hopatcong man accused of killing a Getty gas station's owner admitted dragging the station owner with his car onto Route 15, according to an affidavit signed by a Jefferson Township Police detective.

Ronnie Fedo, 34, of Lake Hopatcong faces several charges in the Saturday afternoon death. He was arrested later Saturday after a search involving several police agencies.

"While traveling to the police department, the suspect spontaneously stated that he was at the Getty Gas Station earlier that day, and got into a confrontation with the victim, and admitted that he dragged the victim with his motor vehicle," Jefferson Township Detective Sgt. James Caruso said in an affidavit on file with the Morris County court. "He also acknowledged that he was operating the subject vehicle."

The affidavit further states Fedo admitted stealing an energy drink and lottery tickets from the gas station's convenience store—the crime that authorities say started the chain of events leading to owner Nisan Ambaroglu's death in the roadway.

Police said that after Fedo stole lottery tickets behind the counter (which, according to the affidavit, Fedo also admits turning in at a liquor store in Wharton), Ambaroglu noticed something was wrong. Ambaroglu exited the store to confront Fedo, clinging onto his vehicle, according to police. Fedo allegedly drove away, dragging the 65-year-old Ambaroglu with him, ultimately causing Ambaroglu's death.

The affidavit also provides certain details of how Fedo was found that were not previously relayed by police. A timeline of events, as described in the affidavit, is as follows:

• At about 1:45 Saturday, Jefferson police received a 911 call that a man was hanging onto a gold SUV driving out of the Getty Gas Station on Route 15. "The reports also indicated that the man was dragged by the vehicle and the vehicle kept going on without stopping after striking the man," the affidavit states.
• Police and medical workers responded to the scene, and tried to revive the man, Getty owner Ambaroglu, of Paramus, found laying in the roadway. He was transported to St. Clare's Hospital in Dover, and pronounced dead at 2:31 p.m.
• Police obtained a surveillance video from the gas station—images from which would prove key to identifying a suspect. The video showed a white, possibly Hispanic male in a white shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers and an Oakland A's baseball cap exit a champagne or tan Toyota Highlander, and enter the Getty's store. The man is seen in the video removing lottery tickets from behind the counter without paying for them. Ambaroglu then steps behind the counter, and the two make a hand-to-hand exchange; police have said separately it seemed Fedo made a separate puchase.
• Also on the surveillance video, the man leaves the store to re-enter his vehicle. Ambaroglu follows behind and approaches the driver's side window. He's then seen being dragged by the vehicle through the parking lot.
• Law enforcement released   (Jefferson Patch was among the news outlets publicizing the images).
• At about 10 p.m., Jefferson police received a call from an employee of the on Route 15 in Lake Hopatcong, about a half-mile from the Getty station. The employee said he recognized the man seen in the video images as having been in the liquor store earlier that day. Police obtained surveillance video from the liquor store and saw what appeared to be the same man captured in the Getty video.
• Another employee from the liquor store told police he knew the man seen in the videos, and had seen the man at a beach in Lake Hopatcong. Police patrols began searching the area of the beach for the vehicle seen in the Getty video, believing the man might live in the area.
• Police found the a vehicle matching the description at a home on New York Avenue. There, they spoke to a residents who confirmed the man seen in the liquor store's video looked like their son, Ronnie Fedo.
• Police also examined the vehicle, a 2002 Toyota Highlander, registered to Fedo's stepfather. Police saw what appeared to be spatters of dried blood on the car.
• Fedo was at the house, wearing a green Oakland A's hat, which appeared to be the same one seen in the Getty video.
• Fedo made the admission to the altercation en route to the police department building, where he was being taken for questioning.
• At police headquarters, he told officers that after the altercation, he returned to a Schwarz Boulevard home where he lives with his father, changed his clothes and took his dog for a walk.

Authorities were planning to search Fedo's home for his clothing, writings that would suggest a motive for robbery, and other evidence. They also planned to search his cell phone for text messages and other communication.

Fedo is charged with first-degree felony murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree aggravated manslaughter, death by auto and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi said at a press conference in Morristown Sunday.

Jefferson police, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office and the Morris County Sheriff's Office have all been working on the continuing investigation. Anybody with information should call the Jefferson Police Department at 973-697-1300, the Morris County Sheriffs Office Crime Stopper Program at 973-COPCALL, or the Morris County Prosecutors Office at 973-285-2900.