Woman accused of armed robbery held in lieu of $1 million cash bond

BENTONVILLE — A Lake Village woman is being held in lieu of a $1 million cash only bond after being accused of participating in an armed robbery.

Keisha Gray, 34, was booked at 6:29 p.m. Wednesday into the Benton County jail. She was arrested in connection with aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and three counts of theft of property. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges.

Thomas Gean, deputy prosecutor, told Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green at Thursday’s bond hearing Gray was arrested by U.S. marshals at a relative’s home in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Gray was able to evade arrest when her boyfriend, Zaylon Zaquan Zephy-Nee Watkins, was apprehended in Kansas City, Mo., Gean said.

Watkins and Gray were wanted in connection with armed robberies in Rogers and Little Rock, Gean said. He said a clerk was shot in one of the Little Rock robberies. Gean said Gray could be charged with attempted capital murder in connection with the robbery and shooting.

Gean said Gray admitted to being part of the robberies. He said he was requesting the $1 million cash only bond since the likelihood of Gray’s conviction is high with her admissions to taking part in the robberies.

Gray admitted to taking a woman’s purse, but denied having any weapon, according to a probable cause affidavit. Gray said she did raise her shirt up to make the woman think she had a gun, according to the affidavit. Gray said she robbed the woman in an attempt to get money because she had been on the run from the U.S. marshals for about a year, according to the affidavit.

She told the judge she was wanted by the marshals because last year she left a halfway house.

The judge found probable cause exists to hold Gray on the charges and set a $ 1 million cash only bond.

Green set Gray’s arraignment for 8 a.m. April 1.

Rogers police went at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 to the Walmart Supercenter at 4208 S. Pleasant Crossing Blvd. in response to a report that a woman had been robbed of her purse, according to the affidavit.

The woman said she finished her shopping and walked to the parking lot toward her vehicle. She said she was loading her items in her vehicle when another woman approached her and started tugging on her purse, according to the affidavit.

The assailant then asked the victim if she wanted to die and lifted up her sweater and a black pistol was in her waistband, the affidavit states. The victim said she stopped resisting and the other woman got in a white sedan and fled the scene.

The purse contained the woman’s debit card, multiple credit cards and $1,000, according to the affidavit.

Police observed video that shows the suspect approach the woman and then flee in the vehicle. Additional video shows a man and woman from the vehicle enter the store prior to the robbery, according to the affidavit.

Police learned an alert had been issued for the vehicle by Little Rock police in connection with several aggravated robberies, the affidavit states.

Watkins, 22, of Eudora is also being held in jail on a $1 million cash only bond. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges against him.

Watkins’ arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. March 25 in Green’s court.