Robbery can be Fatal

Martha, one of the 'bakery' ladies had a tragedy to occur early Sat morning at around 1 am. Her son Robert was killed at his convienent store during a robbery. I knew him very well. He was only 27. Martha doesn't work at the bakery much anymore due to having to take care of her husband, Jerry who had a stroke last summer. He's improving daily.

 

Robert was married to Rhonda, a girl who doesn't know a stranger and has the clearest lightest blue eyes I've ever seen. I saw her the night I went to see Spiderman. She was at the theatre with a young girl she calls her 'adoptive' daughter. She talked about the store and all the plans they had. They began leasing it about 3 or 4 months ago. She told me to drop by and said that my dad did daily. Its on the road going to his house.

 

One thing about the store is that its off the dark exit # 19 of I-95. Right beside it, is a big vast wooded area that runs close to the Lumber River. There used to be a 'beach' close to it--McMillian Beach, a very small pond/lake off the river with clear water, back in the 40-60's it was a local hangout complete with a bath house. But the lady who owned it died years ago and now, its an abandoned area thick with overgrowth--a place where drug users hang out. (My Granny Leggett who died in 1995 once got lost there--but that's another story).

 

I am very distressed over Robert's death. He was a quiet guy, a hard worker. When he would come over to the bakery, he was always friendly and smiling. Martha and Jerry dote on him, because he is such a good boy. Or was. Gail who owns the bakery and I have talked about this for the last few days. She is distressed and I am comforting. 

 

The police called Rhonda this morning and told her that they were through processing the store and that she can go clean up the blood and reopen if she wants too.  Very compassionate, eh? I told Gail if they need me to help clean up, I will do it. And no, I don't want to but that's what friends do--they are there for you, even when its hard on them.

 

Below is a copy of the article that was in yesterday's paper about the robbery.

 

Store owner shot 4 times

By Mark Locklear -Staff writer

LUMBERTON - The owner of a convenience store who was murdered Saturday was shot four times although a videotape does not show him resisting two men who were robbing his business, according to police.

Police say they expect to release still photographs of the two men soon. A security camera recorded the murder of Robert Woodell, 27, who owned Ali's Discount Cigarette Store at 2011 Carthage Road.

Police have not been able to identify the men, but Lt. Mickey Biggs said, "We're looking into some information we received," Biggs said.

The videotape shows two men entering the store shortly after 1 a.m. One of the men shoots Woodell four times, three times in the torso and once in the head. The men then stole money from the cash register and ran from the store.

"He didn't appear to be resisting," Biggs said of Woodell.

Lumberton police Officer Jerry Kinlaw, who was patrolling the area and heard the store's alarm sounded, found Woodell.

Biggs wouldn't say how much money was taken, but did say no one else was in the store at the time of the robbery. The tape has been turned over to the State Bureau of Investigation.

"We are trying to enhance the video and get some prints. The reason why it is taking so long is there aren't too many places around that make copies from video," Biggs said.

According to Biggs, both men were black. One of the men was dressed in a white cap, long white shirt, dark pants and white sneakers. The other man was dressed in a dark baseball cap, a light shirt, dark pants and dark shoes.

Biggs said he couldn't comment on the ages of the robbers.

Woodell and his wife recently took over management of the store, also known as the Texaco Food Mart. It remained closed this morning with yellow crime scene tape encircling the parking lot.

Woodell lived at 411 Old Whiteville Road.