PodcastsAug 19, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
CrimeMay 19, 2016
Community Raising Funds for Slain Alaska Jeweler
Duilio “Tony” Rosales, a bench jeweler at The Jewel Box in Juneau, was shot in the back of the head during a hunting trip, allegedly by a former Arizona state representative.
Juneau, Alaska--Duilio Rosales, the bench jeweler at Juneau retailer The Jewel Box, was shot and killed Sunday while on a hunting trip, allegedly by a man, and former lawmaker, who barely knew him.
The murder has left the victim’s family and friends asking why, and the community, many of whom wear wedding rings crafted by “Tony,” trying to help.
According to a dispatch posted Monday by Alaska State Troopers, at approximately 7:38 p.m. Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard relayed to Juneau-based officers a report of a deceased male at a cabin in Excursion Inlet, located about 35 miles west of the Alaskan capital.
Both state and Alaskan Wildlife Troopers responded to the call, with investigators from the FBI’s Alaska Bureau also brought in to assist.
When law enforcement officials arrived, they found that 34-year-old Rosales of Juneau, who was on a hunting trip with a group of men, had been shot twice in the back of the head, apparently while sitting on a picnic table taking off his boots.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, one of the witnesses, who also was a member of the hunting party, told the officers that he had been behind the cabin in the woods around 7 p.m. when he heard two gunshots.
When he walked to the front of the cabin, he encountered Mark De Simone, another member of the hunting party, who allegedly said, “I shot Tony. I shot him. It’s my fault,” the affidavit states.
De Simone, 53, was taken into custody at the scene and has been charged with first-degree murder as well as two counts of second-degree murder, one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide. He was arraigned Tuesday, with bail set at $500,000, and a grand jury is set to hear his case Friday.
Morgan Cruz, whose husband Vladimir Cruz grew up with Rosales in Nicaragua and was close to him like a brother, said the jeweler moved from Miami to Juneau to live with them in 2011.
Rosales, who came from a family of jewelers in Nicaragua, found his job at The Jewel Box shortly thereafter and never left.
“The community loved him. He was known in Juneau,” she said. “(The Jewel Box)
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
is the only jewelry store open all year ‘round, except for Fred Meyer. The rest are tourist jewelry stores.”
De Simone, according to Cruz, lived in Juneau previously.
Outside of Alaska, he spent time in Arizona where he served as a state representative from 2007 to mid-2008 when he resigned for “personal reasons,” according to the clerk’s office at the Arizona State Legislature. The New York Times reported that he stepped down after being charged with misdemeanor assault for hitting his wife in the face.
Cruz said De Simone returned to Juneau about a month ago. He knew The Jewel Box’s owners, Bill and Sherry Young, and had done some odd jobs around their store, she said. Bill Young has two cabins at Excursion Inlet and had organized the hunting trip.
She said family and friends are still to struggling to understand his motive, as the two men had only seen each other a few times prior to the trip. “This man didn’t know him. He wasn’t from here,” Cruz said of De Simone.
Numerous news reports indicate, however, that alcohol might have played a role in Sunday’s shooting. Alcohol also was reportedly a factor in the 2008 incident that led to De Simone resigning from the state legislature in Arizona.
No one answered the phone at The Jewel Box all day on Wednesday and a message left on the store’s answering machine went unreturned. A message left for owner Sherry Young also went unreturned.
Cruz’s mother, Cathy Johnson, has set up a GoFundMe account to help with the funeral and travel costs involved in bringing the 34-year-old Rosales, who leaves behind his wife Maria and two young daughters, Ashley and Emily, home to his family in Nicaragua.
The goal is $15,000 and, as of Thursday morning, more than half of that had been raised.
Donations also can be made at any Wells Fargo bank, where a memorial fund has been set up in Rosales’ name.
De Simone, according to Cruz, lived in Juneau previously.
Outside of Alaska, he spent time in Arizona where he served as a state representative from 2007 to mid-2008 when he resigned for “personal reasons,” according to the clerk’s office at the Arizona State Legislature. The New York Times reported that he stepped down after being charged with misdemeanor assault for hitting his wife in the face.
Cruz said De Simone returned to Juneau about a month ago. He knew The Jewel Box’s owners, Bill and Sherry Young, and had done some odd jobs around their store, she said. Bill Young has two cabins at Excursion Inlet and had organized the hunting trip.
She said family and friends are still to struggling to understand his motive, as the two men had only seen each other a few times prior to the trip. “This man didn’t know him. He wasn’t from here,” Cruz said of De Simone.
Numerous news reports indicate, however, that alcohol might have played a role in Sunday’s shooting. Alcohol also was reportedly a factor in the 2008 incident that led to De Simone resigning from the state legislature in Arizona.
No one answered the phone at The Jewel Box all day on Wednesday and a message left on the store’s answering machine went unreturned. A message left for owner Sherry Young also went unreturned.
Cruz’s mother, Cathy Johnson, has set up a GoFundMe account to help with the funeral and travel costs involved in bringing the 34-year-old Rosales, who leaves behind his wife Maria and two young daughters, Ashley and Emily, home to his family in Nicaragua.
The goal is $15,000 and, as of Thursday morning, more than half of that had been raised.
Donations also can be made at any Wells Fargo bank, where a memorial fund has been set up in Rosales’ name.
More on Crime
The Latest
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
Policies & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
