Suspects allegedly stole pellet gun from Walmart, used it to rob same store

Suspects allegedly stole pellet gun from Walmart, used it to rob same store
By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
scott.croteau@telegram.com

WORCESTER — Two of the three people accused of robbing area stores and supermarkets during the past two months allegedly went into the Oxford Walmart, bought a pellet gun and returned 20 minutes later to rob the store with the recently purchased gun, according to search warrant affidavits.

Molly K. McKeen, 25, of 6 Knox St., Worcester; and Cortez D. Palmer, 37, of 68 Merrick St., Worcester, allegedly entered the Walmart in Oxford on Nov. 8 and made several purchases, including a pellet gun, the affidavits on file in Central District Court said.

Surveillance footage obtained from the store shows Ms. McKeen using a debit/credit card to make the purchases. The two left the store, but Mr. Palmer returned with a black handgun, which authorities believe was the pellet gun just purchased, the records said.

Mr. Palmer is accused of approaching the guest services counter and telling the clerk to look down. He allegedly showed the clerk the handgun and demanded cash. The robbery netted $8,681, the affidavits said.

Ms. McKeen has been arraigned on a charge of unarmed robbery. Mr. Palmer faces several counts of unarmed robbery and one count of armed robbery in connection with a cluster of robberies in Worcester and other area towns. He also has been arraigned in Central District Court.

Worcester police said they linked six robberies to one or all of the suspects. Mr. Palmer allegedly robbed multiple supermarkets, a Walmart and one Dunkin' Donuts in the city from September to November.

A third person, Serena E. Lammi, 30, of 6 Knox St., Worcester, is also facing an unarmed robbery charge in connection with the robberies. She also has been arraigned in court.

Authorities have accused the group of robberies in Millbury, Auburn and Shrewsbury.

Contact Scott J. Croteau at scott.croteau@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottCroteauTG

****************************************

Justice for our son, John Crawford

John Crawford III Family
United States

On August 5, 2014, our lives changed forever. Our unarmed son John Crawford III was killed by police while shopping at a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio. On this tragic day, John was shopping like any other customer in the store. He was looking at a few items on the shelf, holding a toy BB gun he might buy and talking on his phone with the mother of his two children. Other customers shopped near our son, showing no sign that John was any kind of threat while he shopped. Everything was normal until Officer Sean Williams suddenly began shooting him without any warning. In the video above, you can see this was a heinous and unjustifiable killing.

We fought for months to get Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to release that surveillance footage to the public. And while the video shows our unarmed son being ruthlessly killed, Mr. DeWine’s office delayed the grand jury and then presented a half-hearted case against Officer Williams. So we were not surprised that the grand jury declined to bring charges against Williams, the reckless and dangerous officer who was also involved in a 2010 fatal shooting for which he was never prosecuted.

We may be delayed, but we won't be denied. We won't stop until we receive justice for our son. The US Justice Department is currently conducting a civil rights investigation into John’s case. We believe that the video footage clearly demonstrates that it is time for the federal prosecutor to bring charges against Officer Williams.

This may be our last chance to do so, and we need your help as we seek justice for our son. Please sign our new petition demanding that U.S. Attorney Carter M. Stewart bring justice to John and our family. We are grateful for your continued support.