Have you seen this man that Durham police are seeking in an armed robbery?
Police issued arrest warrants Thursday for a fourth person accused in the Nov. 26 armed robbery of a Durham convenience store.
Willie Lamont Cates, 24, is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Police are still looking for Cates.
Three others have been arrested in connection with the armed robbery of the Triangle D Food Mart on West Trinity Avenue, including Shawn Leroy Butler, a 19-year-old Durham man who was released from jail on Sept. 19 after murder and other charges were dismissed against him just before his trial.
Joyce Beavers, 35, and Kevin Deshawn Powell, 26, both of Durham, have been charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. Beavers also was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and Powell was charged with failure to appear in court on an earlier hit-and-run charge, police said.
Butler was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon.
A witness told police two men armed with guns and wearing black bandanas over their faces entered the store around 9 p.m. Nov. 26. One fired a shot into the floor of the store during the robbery, but no one was injured, police said.
The suspects fled in a gray car with New York tags, which police spotted about 45 minutes later on North Duke Street. The front passenger jumped and ran when police stopped the car in the parking lot of the Hardee’s restaurant at 3912 N. Duke St. The driver, identified as Beavers, and another passenger stayed in the car. A stolen gun was found inside the car.
The suspects arrested earlier were being held in the Durham County jail.
Anyone with information about Cates’ whereabouts is asked to contact investigators at 919-560-4440, ext. 29303, or CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200. CrimeStoppers pays cash rewards for information leading to arrests in felony cases and callers never have to identify themselves.
Tammy Grubb: 919-829-8926, @TammyGrubb
This story was originally published December 7, 2017 at 12:27 PM with the headline "Have you seen this man that Durham police are seeking in an armed robbery?."