Fugitive arrested after 25 years for trying to kill shop owner

A man who fled the USA 25 years ago while facing a prison sentence for attempted murder was arrested when he arrived at a New York City airport.

Freddy Guerra was taken into custody on Tuesday night at Kennedy Airport, it has emerged.

He had been living in the Dominican Republic and working as a mechanic, The Daily News reported.

Authorities said Guerra was 18 when he and two friends shot the owner of Willie's Hardware and Building Supply Store in Queens on 16 Septembe, 1992, stealing cash and spray paint cans.

The owner, Lieb Zaban, survived being shot in the chin.

Police arrested Guerra a month later and charged him with attempted murder.

He pleaded guilty to the charge in December 1992 and was freed on $50,000 bond.

He skipped a February 1993 court date and was later sentenced in absentia to six to 18 years of prison time.

Guerra is now in custody at Rikers Island and will appear in court on June 14.

Zaban died in 2015 at the age of 91 and had sold the store some years after the robbery.

His widow, Lea Zaban, who now lives in Pennsylvania, said, "That's good. That's good," when told of Guerra's arrest.