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MARIETTA -- Two men were arrested Monday for the robbery of the Marathon station in Beverly early this month. A second man was also charged Monday for the robbery at the Par Mar station in Beverly.
Edward James Haynes, 28, of 388 Mechanic St., Macksburg, was arrested around 4:30 p.m. after allegedly confessing to being the subject in the hooded sweatshirt and bandanna who committed the robbery of the Marathon station on July 5. He was charged with the first-degree felony aggravated robbery.
His alleged accomplice, Michael J. Estee, 33, of 304 High St., Senecaville, is accused of driving the pickup truck in which Haynes used to make his getaway. He was arrested around 7:30 p.m. in Guernsey County and charged with complicity to aggravated robbery.
On July 5, deputies patrolling in Beverly were advised the Marathon station had just been robbed at gunpoint. When deputies and detectives from the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded, they were advised that a male approached the counter and pointed a handgun in the clerk's face, demanding money from the register.
The clerk gave the money to the robber and he exited the store. Surveillance footage showed the person wearing a hooded sweatshirt with a bandanna over his face. Detectives also learned that another individual had dropped the subject off and waited in an early 2000s white Chevrolet S10.
During the course of the investigation, Estee and Haynes were developed as suspects.
On Monday, detectives found and interviewed Haynes, who allegedly confessed to being the person who committed the robbery. Haynes stated he destroyed the clothing he was wearing, however the weapon was recovered, police said.
"It was an Airsoft pistol. It looks like a real gun, but was essentially a BB gun," said Lt. Bryan Lockhart of the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Haynes confirmed Estee was the person who waited in the truck while he robbed the store. After his arrest, he was transported to the Washington County Jail, where he is being held on $250,000 bond.
Detectives located the white S10 at Estee's home in Guernsey County. He was interviewed and admitted to his involvement in the robbery, officials said. Detectives requested and received a warrant for his arrest for aggravated robbery through Marietta Municipal Court. He was taken into custody by the Guernsey County Sheriff's office and is being held at their facility, pending extradition to Washington County.
Lockhart said Haynes and Estee were not under investigation at the time of the July 12 arrest for the armed robbery of the Par Mar station in Beverly. The Marathon station robbery occurred shortly before the Par Mar robbery.
Luis Alfonso Ambrocio-Bautista, 34, of Beverly, was arrested and charged with the armed robbery of the Par Mar station.
Robert Justin Wells, 37, of 3491 State Route 60, McConnelsville, was arrested earlier this month on two counts of breaking and entering in Beverly, so he was already incarcerated when he was charged Monday with first-degree aggravated robbery at the Par Mar.
"Bautista was the clerk at the Par Mar and knew the details (of the Marathon robbery), so he had his buddy wear a blue bandanna and go in and stick (the Par Mar) up," Lockhart said, noting it was a crime of opportunity and Wells and Haynes did not know each other.