NEWS RELEASE
Type of Release: DNA leads to identity in 2004 Robbery
Date of Release: April 26, 2011
Approving Supervisor: Chief Brad Hill
Summary
In July of 2004 an armed robbery occurred at Indiana Downs 5480 E. Indiana St. The suspect is able to enter the business after it closes and detains the staff and night cleaning crew while he gains access to the money room. No one is present who can open the safe so they are forced at gunpoint to wait all night for the manager to arrive. In the morning the manager is forced to open the safe. The suspect flees with a significant amount of money. During the crime, the unknown B/M suspect asks for a drink and is given a glass of soda which he consumes (EPD offense 04-17290). This glass is later collected and swabbed for DNA by crime scene technicians. The DNA sample is entered into a national database with negative results.
In 2006 EPD was notified that the DNA that it submitted matched DNA that was submitted from a crime scene in Texas. Then in 2007 EPD was again notified about a match from a crime scene in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Although we were aware of the matches, the identity of the suspect was still unknown.
Finally in April of 2011 EPD was notified that the DNA matched convicted offender sample belonging to Lloyd Eugene Rhodes. Rhodes is currently housed in a federal prison in Colorado.
The numerous crimes that Rhodes committed across the United States are detailed in a second attachment. Through the use of national databases and good investigative work, numerous robberies and burglaries were solved.
Timeline of Events:
Indiana Downs Robbery 04-17290
Time line for suspect Lloyd Eugene Rhodes:
06/?/03- An Armed robbery occurred at K.T.’s restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. A picture was obtained from a surveillance camera of the unknown B/M suspect.
07/26/04 – An armed robbery occurred at Indiana Downs 5480 E. Indiana St. Evansville, Indiana. The suspect is able to enter the business after it closes and detains the staff and night cleaning crew while he gains access to the money room. No one is present who can open the safe so they are forced at gunpoint to wait all night for the manager to arrive. In the morning the manager is forced to open the safe. The suspect flees with a significant amount of money. During the crime, the unknown B/M suspect asks for a drink and is given a glass of soda which he consumes (EPD offense 04-17290). This glass is later collected and swabbed for DNA by crime scene technicians. (04-17290 supp W. Schafer) Case assigned to Det. Kenny Taylor.
06/?/05 – An armed robbery occurred at Jillian’s Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. The B/M suspect was apprehended a short time later by responding patrol officers. He matched the photo of the 2003 restaurant robber. Suspect had no ID and gave the name Michael J. Dotson when arrested. $25,000 cash bond was posted before they were able to discover via fingerprints the suspect was actually Lloyd Eugene Rhodes. Suspect fled the state. Cases assigned to Det. Jerry Zehdner, Louisville Metro P.D.
08/22/05 – EPD notified DNA from drinking glass in Indiana Downs case was submitted to the Indiana DNA database with negative results.
08/22/05 – 12/05/05 – A series of six armed robberies occurred in Austin Texas at restaurants and bars. A B/M suspect gains entry either just before the business opens or just after they close. Cases assigned to Det. Miller, Austin Texas P.D.
10/14/05 – Austin Police assemble a suspect description, surveillance photo and an artist’s sketch on a flier that is sent to local bars/restaurants and media.
10/24/05 – An armed robbery occurred at a bar named The Pour House in Fort Worth, Texas. The B/M suspect gained entry to the business before they open and robbed the business and manager at gunpoint (Ft. Worth incident report 05-132505) Case assigned to Det. D. Darracq, Fort Worth Texas P.D.
12/06/05 – Austin Police update the restaurant robbery flier and redistribute it. The media picks up the story.
12/09/05 – Victim in Fort Worth from The Pour House robbery sees the flier from Austin P.D. about their restaurant/bar robberies. She identifies the photo and sketch as her assailant. She reports this to Det. Darracq.
12/09/05 – Detective Zehdner from Louisville Kentucky sees a news story about the Austin Texas restaurant robberies and recognizes Lloyd Rhodes aka: Michael Dotson and contacts Austin P.D. He supplies them with the suspect’s name, alias, other information and a mugshot.
12/09/05 – Det. Darracq contacts Austin P.D. inquiring about the flier his victim saw. He is supplied with the name and photo of Rhodes. Victim picks Lloyd Eugene Rhodes out of a photo line up. Darracq obtains a warrant for robbery. He finds out the suspect is wanted in Kentucky, Colorado and Kansas.
12/12/05 – Det. Darracq is contacted by Det. Acosta of Dallas P.D. She has two robberies from October 2005 with similar suspect description and similar M.O.
01/?/06 – U.S. Marshalls and F.B.I. become involved in the cases. Suspect is tracked via financial activity to a residence in Los Angeles, California.
01/13/06 – Lloyd Eugene Rhodes is arrested in Los Angles. Makes incriminating statements.
03/13/06 – EPD notified that DNA from drinking glass in Indiana Downs robbery was matched via National DNA database forensic index (CODIS) to a can of Red Bull energy drink collected from a crime scene in Texas. Suspect identity is unknown. (ISP lab report Certificate of Analysis, Michael J. Spence)
02/01/07 – EPD notified that DNA from drinking glass in Indiana Downs robbery was matched via National DNA database forensic index (CODIS) to a stain from a piece of broken window glass in a case from Baton Rouge, Louisiana Police Department. Suspect identity is unknown. (ISP lab report Certificate of Analysis, Michael J. Spence)
09/06/07 – Rhodes convicted of violation of Hobbs Act in Federal Court. Sentenced to 166 months.
10/27/08 – Rhodes convicted of Aggravated Robbery in San Antonio, Texas. Sentenced to 15 years.
11/01/10 – Rhodes convicted of Aggravated Robbery in Houston, Texas. Sentenced to 15 years.
01/21/11 – Rhodes convicted of Aggravated Robbery in Fort Worth, Texas. Sentenced to 12 years.
02/?/11 – Rhodes believed to be turned over to federal custody to begin sentence. Sent to a federal prison in Colorado.
04/13/11 – EPD notified that DNA from drinking glass in Indiana Downs robbery was matched via National DNA database convicted offender index (CODIS) to federal convicted offender sample belonging to Lloyd Eugene Rhodes. (ISP lab report Certificate of analysis, John W. Pritchett) Due to the retirement of Det. Kenny Taylor, case reassigned to Det. Greg Fleck.
