STARKVILLE — Three arrests have been made in connection with an armed robbery that took place Sunday evening in the Kroger parking lot.
Marquavious Turnipseed, 23, and Aliza Cox, 24, both of Starkville, have been charged with armed robbery. Courtney Neal, 31, of Tupelo has been charged with accessory after the fact and giving false identifying information.
The victim was selling items on Facebook Marketplace and was meeting the suspects at Kroger for the exchange.
“He met the suspects at that location,” said John Michael Lay, sergeant over criminal investigations. “Instead of paying for the items that they were there to purchase, they pulled out a weapon and robbed him and fled the scene.”
Investigators used Facebook to determine the suspects’ identities. All three were arrested Monday.
Lay said this was an isolated incident. But the department is encouraging people who meet to exchange items in a similar fashion to do so in safe, secure locations like the SPD parking lot downtown.
“You can come here to the Starkville Police Department parking lot and make that transaction, especially when you’re dealing with somebody who you do not know,” he said. “All of our outside lots are video recorded, the safety of officers, things of that nature anyway. They’re (SPD) open to the general public at any point in time.”
Turnipseed was additionally charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute when being arrested for the armed robbery.
The suspects are being held in Oktibbeha County Jail. Bond has not yet been set.
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