Search continues for suspect in Shepherd bank holdup
Polk County Enterprise - July 2009

SHEPHERD – Authorities are still searching for a suspect believed to be involved in the July 3 robbery of First State Bank in Shepherd. Officers investigating the robbery recovered clothing and identification at an overgrown lot in Cleveland last week, according to San Jacinto County Criminal District Attorney Bill Burnett. From evidence found, Kenneth Lloyd Adams, 29, of Cleveland has been identified as a suspect who entered the bank, taking an undetermined amount of money and fleeing the scene in a vehicle where two other suspects waited. Found in clothing located in Cleveland was a wallet with Adams’ drivers license and a business card from his parole officer, according to Burnett. A shoe print left at the scene of the robbery also matches shoes that were recovered last week in the overgrown lot, Burnett said. The shoe print was recovered from a chair that the suspect used to jump over a counter to get to the bank tellers, according to Burnett. Burnett said they have been able to identify the suspect because he (suspect) identified himself to Peoples State Bank President Jay Estes.

Burnett said the suspect left there, apparently was uncomfortable and went directly from Peoples State Bank to First State Bank. According to Burnett, a bank teller wrote down the license plate number of the alleged get-a-way car when she became concerned about the man’s behavior. Burnett said they have photos taken from surveillance cameras at Peoples State Bank that show the man at Peoples State Bank wearing the same clothing as the alleged robber. According to reports, Cleveland Warrant Officer Zack Harkness stated that police received a tip that the suspect may have been hiding in a hotel or motel in the Cleveland area. Searches were conducted to no avail. An arrest has not been made at this time and authorities are still investigating.