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Robbery Suspects Caught in Alabama

Posted/updated on: April 3, 2015 at 4:14 pm
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Alexander WahlTYLER — They had to go out of state to do it, but detectives with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Tyler Police Department have made two arrests in two recent aggravated robberies. One occurred in Smith County at the Food Fast, 11812 Hwy. 64 West on March 13. The second happened at the Valero, 2211 WSW Loop 323 in Tyler on March 14. KETK reports the suspects are identified as Alexander Wahl and Stephanie Morelos. According to information received during the investigation, both suspects were believed to be in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area. It was also determined that both had warrants for their arrest for violation of probation out of Smith County stemming from a previous charge of possession of a controlled substance, according to Sheriff Larry Smith.

Stephanie Morelos
Smith County Sheriff’s Detective Aaron Hinton developed what’s termed crucial information during his investigation which led him to believe the suspects were either in a homeless shelter or motel near a Wal-Mart in Tuscaloosa. Hinton contacted the United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force in Tyler and requested assistance in Tuscaloosa in locating the suspects. Detective Hinton was subsequently in contact with the Tuscaloosa Police Department, which was successful in locating both suspects from Detective Hinton’s information. Both suspects were found hiding in the bathroom of a motel along Interstate 20 in Tuscaloosa and booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail on the violation of probation warrants out of Smith County, according to Sheriff Smith.

Hinton and Tyler Police Detective Gardner traveled to Tuscaloosa and interviewed both suspects, who reportedly made admissions as to their involvement in the robberies. During the interview it was determined that the male suspect’s vehicle, a 1996 Buick Regal, had broken down on I-59 in Jasper County, Mississippi, near Meridian, and that he had left it.

After locating the suspect’s vehicle as a result of information provided by him, detectives with the assistance of The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. The probable cause for the search warrant affidavit was derived from information received during an interview with the suspects, according to Sheriff Smith. Evidence linking both suspects to the robberies was found inside the vehicle, including clothing worn by the suspects during the commission of the crime, according to Smith. He says warrants are expected to be issued Monday, April 6, charging both suspects with aggravated robbery. Once the warrants are issued, extradition proceedings are expected to commence.

In both incidents the robbers wore black clothing and masks to conceal their identities. One of the robbers also brandished a pistol during the robbery. At the time of the incidents, the store clerks and law enforcement believed that one of the actors was male and the other female. Once the robbery video was aired by local news outlets, a tip was received identifying the potential suspects. After further investigation the suspects’ identities were confirmed, according to Sheriff Smith.



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