Laurence Beaver
Police said a man and woman robbed six people of $4,200 cash and a cell phone at a motel on Lee Highway.
Laurence Beaver, 49, of 7707 Lee Highway, Apt. 215, was arrested Friday for aggravated robbery.
Police responded to that motel on Friday in response to a report that six Hispanic people - four adult males and two adult females - were robbed in Room 204 around 4:20 a.m. by a black male with a large silver revolver with a white handle and a black female with a large knife with a brown handle. It was described as a hatchet by one witness.
Two of the men were transported to the hospital and treated for lacerations to their heads, which required numerous staples.
The four men were staying in room 204 and the two women were staying in room 203 next door. The men said they heard a knock on their door and thought it might be the women, who they were traveling with. When they opened the door, they said the black man and woman pushed their way into the room. The man was armed with the revolver and he struck one of the men on the head with the weapon, causing his laceration. He then pushed him into the bathroom, demanding money from him. The woman was wielding a knife and the two demanded money from all four men. Two of the men had their wallets taken. The wallets were recovered from where they were discarded before police arrived.
The two women in the next room said they heard the commotion and came to check on their friends. They were then robbed also.
The man involved was described by victims to be about 5'10" tall, in his 40s with a beard with white in it, wearing a large coat with a yellow and white emblem of some sort on the right shoulder. The two were said to have fled toward the far end of the balcony near room 215, and they told police they believed the two were still on site.
After checking video footage, police observed the black man and woman exiting room 215 and walking together to room 204. Both are seen a short time later exiting from the area of room 204 and walking together towards room 215.
A total of $4,200 in cash was taken from the victims. One of the victims told police his Motorola cell phone was also taken.
Police detained Beaver from room 215. He gave police permission to search his room for additional people and weapons. Neither were found in the room. He gave police a fictitious name of "Larry Brown" and a made up Social Security number and date of birth. He finally gave police his correct name, date of birth and Social Security number.
Police then obtained a search warrant for room 215 and, after a thorough search, were able to locate the revolver on the bed nearest the bathroom. A black, double-barrel shotgun was also located on the floor, partially under the head of the same bed. Both weapons were found to be air rifles, but both looked very real. A Motorola cell phone was found on the shelf in the center of the room where the TV was at. A black jacket matching the jacket the suspect in the video was wearing was found on the bed.
Beaver was transported to the Police Service Center and a photo lineup was shown to the victims, who picked out Beaver as the man who had robbed them and caused their lacerations. One victim also identified the Motorola cell phone found in Beaver's room as belonging to him. When the phone was turned on, it showed that it had been reset.
Beaver admitted to police that he was in room 204, but denied committing a robbery or striking anyone with a weapon. He said he was with a girl who goes by "Ivy," whose full name he gave to police. He said "Ivy" was in room 204 to have sex with one or two of the men there for money. He said there was a dispute over her not being paid for her services, and that she struck one of the men with her fist. When police told Beaver two of the men had to be taken to the hospital for lacerations on their heads, he said she must have hit them with the revolver. He said he did not see her with the revolver or hit the men, he only heard it.
Based on eyewitness reports, the video footage and Beaver being identified in a photo lineup, he was charged with two counts of especially aggravated robbery, four counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated burglary.