Suspects indicted in Morley bank robbery case

Three suspects in the First Commercial Bank robbery in Morley, Missouri, were indicted by federal prosecutors Thursday.

Pamela M. Lathon, 46, Tyrice G. Royston, 26, and Alexander T. Trotter, 31, all of St. Louis, were indicted on charges related to the May 20 robbery of the bank in Morley.

By press time, Stoddard County also had charges pending against Royston and Lathon for first-degree robbery, felonious restraint and first-degree assault with serious physical injury in connection with the March 17 robbery of the First Commercial Bank in Essex, Missouri.

In that case, the Stoddard County Sheriff's Office responded to an 11:28 a.m. panic alarm at the bank at 101 Trotter St. in Essex, according to a Stoddard County affidavit. Essex Chief of Police John Atkins discovered two bank tellers lying on the floor with their hands and legs bound with zip ties, it says.

A security tape showed two men entering the bank and jumping over the counter, restraining the tellers and leaving on foot with an undetermined amount of cash, according to the affidavit. The men were picked up by an unknown suspect driving a dark-colored, four-door passenger car.

Alexander T. Trotter

In the later case, at 1:33 p.m. May 20, police received information about the robbery at the Morley First Commercial Bank branch, according to the affidavit.

The Dexter Daily Statesman reported that witnesses saw a female driver, allegedly Lathon, in a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta, leaving the scene with two people police later suspected were Royston and Trotter.

Police conducted a traffic stop on State Highway 91 just west of Bell City, Missouri, of a white 2007 Volkswagen Jetta, which was occupied by Royston, Lathon and Trotter, according to the affidavit. A search of the vehicle turned up items related to the Morley bank robbery, and all three suspects were taken into custody, according to the affidavit.

Royston later admitted to committing the March 17 bank robbery in Essex, implicating Lathon as his driver, according to the affidavit.

During questioning, Trotter and Royston admitted their involvement in the May 20 bank robbery, according to an earlier news release from the Scott County's Sheriff's Office.

Tyrice G. Royston

The three suspects are due for arraignment in federal court Monday.

Emily Priddy contributed to this story.

Pertinent addresses: 101 Trotter Street, Essex, Mo., 104 N. Kirkwood Street, Morley, Mo.