By By Marianne Todd\The Meridian Star
Oct. 6, 2001
Police have charged a Meridian man with three counts of armed robbery in connection with robberies of Citizen's National Bank and AmSouth Bank branches.
Elmer Boyd, 34, of 2010 11th St., was held Friday in the Lauderdale County Detention Facility on $150,000 bond, $50,000 for each count.
Acting Police Chief Benny DuBose said investigators with his department, the FBI, the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force were led to the suspect through descriptions given by eyewitnesses.
Boyd was charged in the Sept. 13 and Sept. 19 robberies of Citizen's National Bank offices at 1015 23rd Ave. and at 613 22nd Ave., and the Wednesday robbery of the AmSouth Bank branch at 1819 Highway 39 North Bypass.
Describing the case as solid, DuBose declined to say whether investigators recovered any stolen money or the gun used in the robberies or if police know the possible identity of the driver in a getaway car.
He said the case will likely not be presented to the next grand jury, due to convene in November. The state is currently prosecuting Boyd, but since the investigation is ongoing and federal agencies are involved, federal charges could come into play, he said.
Boyd was arrested about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday near his home. Police held Boyd in the county jail on a contempt of court charge until warrants for felony charges could be made on Friday.
DuBose said he met with detectives in the police department's Criminal Investigations Division last week to address the number of growing robberies in Meridian.
The city has been plagued with armed robberies since January. Records indicate that from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, there were at least 81 robberies in the city. Records for the same period in 2000 reflect there were half as many, with 42 robberies reported in that period. In 1999, there were 80 reported armed robberies from January to December.
Marianne Todd is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3236, or e-mail her at mtodd@themeridianstar.com.