VAN BUREN - Three Crawford County residents are expected to be charged in the home invasion last week in which a Chester couple were threatened at gunpoint and robbed of money and jewelry, sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jimmy Damante said.
Two people arrested Thursday in the robbery, Collin Ray Holson and Katelyn Leigh Bradway, both 18, live across the street from the couple, Glen Kimes, 84, and his wife, Bernice, 82. They are the parents of country-western singer Royal Wade Kimes.
Also arrested Thursday was Sam Wesley Gypson, 21, who Damante said didn’t have a home but stayed at various places in Chester.
“One of them made reference that they knew that they were elderly, they were Royal Wade Kimes’ family and that there might be money in the house,” Damante said Monday, referring to Holson and Gypson. He said he believed the robbery was committed to get money to buy drugs.
Bradway did not participate in the robbery but knew about it and didn’t report it, Damante said.
Glen Kimes was home watching television about 10 p.m. Dec. 17 and his wife was in bed when two men wearing gloves and masks broke in, Damante said. They pointed a handgun and a rifle at Kimes and demanded money. Kimes recognized the rifle as the one he kept in his pickup.
Bernice Kimes emerged from the bedroom after hearing the commotion and was threatened with the gun, Damante said.
Glen Kimes gave the men $60 from his wallet, according to a sheriff’s office report. One of the men ransacked the house looking for money and drugs while the other man held them at gunpoint and told them not to move, Damante said.
The men also stole jewelry from the couple, Damante said, but he didn’t know the value of the jewelry Monday.
The two men didn’t physically harm the Kimes, he said. They also left behind several weapons that Glen Kimes owned and kept in the house.
After about 20 minutes in the Kimes’ house, the men left, ordering the Kimes not to call the police for 30 minutes, according to the report. Glen Kimes waited a few minutes before grabbing a gun and checking outside. The men were gone, and Glen Kimes went to the home of a neighbor, who called 911, the report states.
Royal Wade Kimes, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., said Monday that he called two of his sisters and some cousins who live in the area to be with his parents that night.
He said his parents seemed unaffected by the robbery on the night it occurred but have since become anxious and afraid. Royal Wade Kimes said he spoke to his father, and Glen Kimes was able to joke that the men’s blood pressure must have been under control because they didn’t take his blood pressure medicine, he said.
Sunday night was the first night they were able to sleep peacefully, Royal Wade Kimes said. His mother will need more time to recover fully.
Holson and Gypson were identified as suspects Thursday when the department received a call that someone was acting suspiciously behind another home in Chester. A responding deputy chased Holson back to his home where he lived with Bradway, which was across Arkansas 282 from the Kimes’ house, Damante said.
After he was interviewed, Holson agreed to go to the sheriff’s office, where he was later arrested. Damante said he was wearing some of the clothing the Kimes described their assailants as wearing.
Bradway was charged in part because she sent a text message to Gypson warning him that deputies were looking for him, Damante said. They were able to locate and arrest Gypson at the Fort Smith bus station; he had a ticket to San Diego, Damante said.
The only thing Gypson would tell investigators was that the money and jewelry were gone, Damante said.
Gypson was being held in the Crawford County jail Monday in lieu of $100,000 bond, according to jail records. Holson was being held in lieu of $75,000 bond. Each man was booked on charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated residential burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, theft, and breaking or entering.
Gypson also was charged with burglary, being a felon in possession of a firearm and theft.
Holson also was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Bradway was released from jail Saturday after posting a $3,500 bond on a charge of hindering apprehension.
Arkansas, Pages 10 on 12/24/2013