Two suspects wanted in connection with two McComb armed robberies have been tracked to California, and one of them has been arrested for another crime.
McComb police Detective Sullivan Shannon said he recently received word that Deavonta Barnell Edmond, 22, and Paul Quin, 31, fled to California.
Edmond is the suspected gunman in the armed robberies of the Blue Sky and B-Line convenience stores, both of which happened Feb. 5, and Quin is the suspected getaway driver in the heists.
Sullivan said deputies with the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station in Joshua Tree, Calif., arrested Quin on March 22.
Sheriff’s officials there said Quin is accused of physically and sexually assaulting his girlfriend during the early morning hours of March 22. The woman ran from Quin and called 911, officials said.
California authorities said witnesses reported seeing the victim, who they did not identify, covered in bruises and marks from where she was beaten with a belt, and she had a swollen eye. Officials claim Quin repeatedly beat, punched, kicked and choked her, and cut her in the face with a kitchen knife. Quin also allegedly broke her left hand.
Authorities said she escaped to a friend’s house after Quin fell asleep. Deputies responded and booked Quin on suspicion of felony spouse abuse and sexual assault. That’s when they determined he had a warrant for armed robbery from Mississippi.
Quin is being held in the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, California, on a $500,000 bond.
“I guess he’ll be spending some time over there, before coming back here,” Sullivan said.
California lawmen made no mention of Deavonta Edmond in their arrest report on Quin, but Sullivan said police have received tips that Edmond was with Quin in San Bernadino.
Detectives will work with the Pike County prosecutors to present evidence before a grand jury in May, including video surveillance from both convenience stores.
Surveillance tapes from the robberies reportedly show Edmond acting as the gunman in both robberies. Paul Quin is believed to be standing next to him in the Blue Sky hold-up.
Three other suspects have been arrested in connection with the robberies. So far, police have apprehended Darlene Lilliemae Turner, 19, of Gulfport, and Ulysses Quinn, 45, 2038 Forrest Road, Tylertown, and Paul Quin’s brother, Fredrick Quin, 37, of Gulfport, in connection with the stick-ups.
Three of the five — Quinn, Fredrick Quin and Paul Quin — are brothers, despite the difference in spelling of their last names, Sullivan said. Edmond is Fredrick Quin’s stepson, and Turner is apparently not related to any of them.
Sullivan said the other suspects in the case have been “very cooperative.”
If the case meets the guidelines for armed robbery, detectives will contact law enforcement in the area to apprehend Edmond if they can determine his location.
Quin faces extradition back to Pike County, and the same would apply for Edmond if he’s apprehended in California.
Before police received a tip about their current location, they were both believed to be in Gulfport, where they had listed addresses.
Sullivan said he believes the case against them is strong.
“It’s not up to us, but we believe we have sufficient evidence for an indictment,” he said.
