Two men arrested for an armed robbery in December 2014 were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday.
According to information from Pettis County Prosecuting Attorney Phillip Sawyer, a grand jury was convened Wednesday to consider charges related to the shooting and robbery at Gold Buyer on Dec. 18, 2014. After the jury considered testimony, indictments were handed down on the two suspects previously charged by Sawyer’s office, Henry L. Ward, 19, and Timothy L. Peck, 27.
“In Pettis County we are fortunate to have a sitting grand jury waiting to serve the needs of this county and to help facilitate the movement of felony criminal charges,” Sawyer explained. “This panel of jurors consists of 12 members just like any other criminal jury panel, plus a few alternates who serve in the absence of a regularly appointed juror. The primary difference is they are there to determine, or make a finding of, is there probable cause to believe a felony was committed and if so was it committed by the defendant I am seeking to charge?
“Essentially, excepting a plea agreement that may be reached at a later date, is this an individual that should stand trial for the allegations? If they reach that finding, an indictment is returned and the case is authorized by the Revised Statutes of Missouri to be transferred to the circuit court, which is the venue for determining guilt or innocence of a felony charge using the reasonable doubt standard.”
Ward was indicted on charges of first degree robbery, first degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and receiving stolen property.
Peck was indicted on charges of first degree robbery and hindering prosecution of a felony.
Peck and Ward were both charged last week in connection with the armed robbery. Ward, who was a juvenile at the time of the robbery, but was recently certified as an adult for this case, was already at the Pettis County Jail for unrelated charges from a shooting June 30 in Sedalia. Peck was arrested in Chicago, Illinois, after a warrant was issued.
According to previous Sedalia Police Department reports of the incident, at 1:32 p.m. Dec. 18, 2014, a black male entered Gold Buyer, 108 S. Ohio Ave., which is no longer at that address, and shot owner/operator Wesley Brown twice in the upper chest area with a handgun. Brown was taken to Bothwell Regional Health Center for his injuries. Cash, jewelry and a 9mm handgun were stolen from the business.
SPD Detective Travis St.Cyr previously told the Democrat detectives believe Ward was the shooter who actually entered the store, while they believe Peck orchestrated the robbery, as well as served as the driver and lookout.
“Over two years ago, Wesley Brown was shot by someone looking to take advantage of his daily work. I suspect he reached the point he doubted anything could or would be done about the events he suffered through,” Sawyer said. “After the hard work of the Sedalia Police Department and the extra efforts of Detective Travis St.Cyr, a case was brought to my office that justified charges. As frustrating as I know it is for law enforcement to have an unsolved crime, it is magnified exponentially for the victims of crime. We experience this unfortunate frustration all the time. After two years, Mr. Brown and the community deserve the opportunity to have justice determined as promptly as possible.
“With the certification of Mr. Ward to stand trial as an adult and the arrest and extradition of Mr. Peck back from Chicago to Pettis County I made the decision we should get this matter to the circuit court as promptly as possible so that a trial date could be determined. That is why we presented the matter to the grand jury (Wednesday).”
Both Peck and Ward will have an arraignment Jan. 13.
