Springfield pizza robbery: Media coverage leads to arrest

Martas Dearmond

Martas Dearmond

Media coverage of a Springfield robbery involving a pizza delivery man led to the arrest of a suspect, according to a criminal affidavit.

Martas Dearmond, 20, was charged in Clark County Municipal Court with robbery in connection to the Sunday night incident. He pleaded not guilty and his bond was set at $25,000.

Authorities were called to the 800 block of West High Street on Sunday where a driver told them he was delivering a large order of food when he was robbed, according to a police report.

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“(The driver) stated he parked his vehicle west of the house,” the report says. “When (he) approached the door to the residence, the unknown suspects walked out from under the stairwell.”

The report says two men were wearing hoodies and bandanas over their face.

A suspect wearing a blue bandana and carrying a handgun instructed the driver to drop the food on the ground, according to the report. He did so and started to back away when a suspect wearing a red bandana told him to get on the ground, but the driver continued backing away instead, the report says.

The Springfield News-Sun reported the crime online Monday morning and an affidavit says a woman saw the coverage and found pizza boxes in her home.

“I was informed (the mother) showed up at headquarters advising her son and his friends were responsible for the robbery,” the affidavit says. “She saw media coverage of this and found several Domino’s boxes inside her home.”

Officers went to the home and found the boxes and a delivery bag, according to the affidavit. After questioning witnesses, officers said Dearmond became a suspect.

“…defendant Martas Dearmond fled but was later apprehended,” the affidavit says. “He was taken to headquarters where (officers) interviewed him. He admitted to being at the robbery,” the affidavit says.

However, the affidavit said Dearmond downplayed his involvement.

A next court date was not set in the case.

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