Third Dollar Store Robbery Suspect Arrested

TYLER — Police say they now have all three suspects in custody in this week’s robbery at a Tyler dollar store. On Friday, Tyler Police Investigators received a Crime Stoppers tip on the location of 36-year-old Michael Wayne West. Police went to Town Village South apartments at 200 Muller Garden and found West in his mother’s apartment. Police say West was taken into custody without force and transported to Smith County Jail.

The other suspects were apprehended soon after the robbery, which happened shortly after noon Wednesday at the Family Dollar store located at 530 S.S.E. Loop 323. Officers were advised that a man entered the business and demanded money from the clerk. He did not display a weapon. The clerk gave him an undetermined amount of money. The man ran out of the store and got into a black SUV. The SUV was occupied by two women. A Smith County deputy constable followed the SUV and saw the man and one woman get out of the SUV at the Super 1 Foods located at 1105 East Gentry. The SUV then drove to the Family Dollar store located at 1401 E. Gentry.

Officers contacted the remaining woman in the SUV and arrested her for the robbery. Officers were advised that the two other suspects were seen leaving the Super 1 Foods. Officers were able to locate the second female suspect in the area of E. Line and Anderson Street in Tyler and arrested her for the robbery. The two females arrested have been identified as Lara Michelle Trumble, 37, of Tyler, and Amber Cordell Martin, 33, of Jacksonville. The women have also been transported to the Smith County Jail.