Crime
DNA found on abandoned disguise leads to charges in bank robbery
By: Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer
November 17, 2008
Federal authorities have charged Dewayne Anthony Edwards with armed bank robbery after they detected his DNA on a fake beard left near a stolen car containing ink-dyed cash.
FBI officials believe Edwards has robbed multiple banks in the District of Columbia with a female accomplice, but she remains at large. Edwards has been charged with two robberies, an Adams National Bank robbery on April 7 and the Sept. 29 robbery of a National Capital Bank.
Edwards was arrested Friday and is being held without bail.
The woman, according to court documents, joined Edwards on the April 7 gig.
The two entered the bank around 11:15 a.m. Edwards, wearing a fake beard, pointed a handgun at an assistant manager, then grabbed him and dragged him to the vault.
Meanwhile, the woman, wearing gloves, a bandanna and glasses, pointed a gun at a teller, grabbed her and took her to the vault, records said.
As the manager and teller stuffed a sack with $103,085 and a dye pack, Edwards repeatedly threatened to shoot bank employees, records said. Before leaving, they ordered employees to get down on the floor.
At about 5:15 p.m., police received a call about a suspicious Buick Century with a pile of ink-dyed cash sitting on the passenger seat. The car was reported stolen April 4.
About $58,000 of inky cash was found in the car. On the ground next to the driver’s side door, was a fake beard.
It appears Edwards was operating alone when he hit the National Capital Bank around 10:50 a.m. Sept. 29, court documents said. Once again, Edwards went straight for the vault, ordering a bank manager to open the vault door and tellers to lie on the ground. He took off with $27,060, including cash from the tellers’ drawers well, records said.
Edwards had a newspaper in hand and a bandanna around his face when he walked in, according to court documents. Both items were found in a rear parking lot adjacent to the bank along with a bundle of $1 bills. A partial print was found on one of the items.
An FBI analysis of the fake beard and other evidence left behind from both scenes matched a DNA sample taken from Edwards when he was convicted of other crimes in Virginia.
FBI officials believe Edwards has robbed multiple banks in the District of Columbia with a female accomplice, but she remains at large. Edwards has been charged with two robberies, an Adams National Bank robbery on April 7 and the Sept. 29 robbery of a National Capital Bank.
Edwards was arrested Friday and is being held without bail.
The woman, according to court documents, joined Edwards on the April 7 gig.
The two entered the bank around 11:15 a.m. Edwards, wearing a fake beard, pointed a handgun at an assistant manager, then grabbed him and dragged him to the vault.
Meanwhile, the woman, wearing gloves, a bandanna and glasses, pointed a gun at a teller, grabbed her and took her to the vault, records said.
As the manager and teller stuffed a sack with $103,085 and a dye pack, Edwards repeatedly threatened to shoot bank employees, records said. Before leaving, they ordered employees to get down on the floor.
At about 5:15 p.m., police received a call about a suspicious Buick Century with a pile of ink-dyed cash sitting on the passenger seat. The car was reported stolen April 4.
About $58,000 of inky cash was found in the car. On the ground next to the driver’s side door, was a fake beard.
It appears Edwards was operating alone when he hit the National Capital Bank around 10:50 a.m. Sept. 29, court documents said. Once again, Edwards went straight for the vault, ordering a bank manager to open the vault door and tellers to lie on the ground. He took off with $27,060, including cash from the tellers’ drawers well, records said.
Edwards had a newspaper in hand and a bandanna around his face when he walked in, according to court documents. Both items were found in a rear parking lot adjacent to the bank along with a bundle of $1 bills. A partial print was found on one of the items.
An FBI analysis of the fake beard and other evidence left behind from both scenes matched a DNA sample taken from Edwards when he was convicted of other crimes in Virginia.
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