ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, September 18, 1996 TAG: 9609180103
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI AND LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITERS
Two Northeast Roanoke teen-agers have been charged with three armed robberies at Roanoke convenience stores. The robberies last month took place within a six-hour period and were marked by the colorful blaze-orange mask of one of the robbers.
Robert Addison, 17, and Keith Lee Goodrich, 16, were at Coyner Springs Detention Center Tuesday, authorities said. The teen-agers already had been charged with robbing a Northeast Roanoke convenience store late last month.
Since the last week of August, police had been looking at Addison and Goodrich as suspects in a series of robberies. An informant linked Goodrich to the crimes, and those allegations later became the basis for two search warrants filed in Roanoke Circuit Court. The affidavits, which named the juveniles and were filed by a Roanoke County detective, allowed police to search the residences of Goodrich and Addison.
The robbery spree began just after midnight Aug.16 when two men robbed the Express Stop Food Mart No.3 at 527 E. Orange Ave. Neither of the robbers showed a gun or wore a mask. But one of them threatened to beat the clerk with a stick and took the money.
Twenty-four hours later, just after midnight Aug.17, two ski-masked men held up the Turbo Food Market at 4101 Plantation Road, N.E., not far from Addison's home. One of the robbers held a gun. One wore a yellow ski mask; the other's was orange.
At 5:32 a.m., two ski-masked, armed men robbed the Uni-Mart at 1202 S. Jefferson St. One of the robbers urged his accomplice to shoot the clerk because he was taking too much time. Ten minutes later two robbers held up the 7-Eleven Food Store at 2402 Grandin Road, S.W. Once again, the robbers threatened to shoot the clerk.
Roanoke County police say they also are looking at Goodrich as the suspect in an attempted robbery and a robbery.
A day after the string of Roanoke robberies, a masked man tried to get into the Subway restaurant at 7307-A Williamson Road. When he was unable to open the locked door, he walked away.
Roanoke County Detective Dave Flynn said they are waiting for lab results of a purple ski mask found after a robbery at the Super Mart at 3660 Colonial Ave. the night of Aug. 27. The robber, who wore a mask, used the butt of his gun to hit the clerk when she did not react fast enough.
Roanoke police also charged Goodrich with a robbery at Snappy's Food Mart in Northeast Roanoke the night of Aug. 21. In that incident, the armed, masked robber fled with the money in a small, gray car.
The arrests mark the second time that Roanoke authorities have used new laws aimed at keeping violent juvenile offenders behind bars longer. The laws, passed by the General Assembly as part of sweeping changes to Virginia's juvenile justice system, already have been used in the case of a 17-year-old charged with fatally stabbing a resident of the Hurt Park housing development.
Although adult trials are automatic for juveniles 14 or older charged with murder or aggravated malicious wounding, prosecutors are allowed to decide which juveniles are prosecuted as adults for other violent crimes - including robbery.
Chief Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Betty Jo Anthony said Tuesday that she was completing the required paperwork to have Goodrich and Addison treated as adults.
If a juvenile court judge finds probable cause to support the charges, the cases will go to Circuit Court, where Goodrich and Addison could face multiple life sentences if convicted.
LENGTH: Medium: 68 linesby CNB