Two Wal-Mart robbers could face death penalty

TACOMA — While announcing murder charges against four people, Pierce County prosecutors today described the robbery at a Lakewood Wal-Mart store that left an armored car guard dead as a botched inside job that had been planned for a month by a store employee and her accomplices.

"In one sense, this was a very sophisticated robbery. In another sense, it was 'Amateur City,' " said Chief Criminal Deputy Mark Lindquist for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

Authorities say Calvin Finley, 35, a felon, was the gunman who shot and killed Loomis Armored guard Kurt Husted before grabbing a money bag filled with about $60,000 in cash and fleeing from the store at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Joining Finley inside the store was Marshawn Alex Turpin, 20, authorities said.

Both men — being held at the Pierce County Jail in lieu of $5 million bail each — have been charged with aggravated first-degree murder, first-degree murder, assault and robbery charges, and Finley was charged with an additional illegal firearm possession charge.

Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to seek the death penalty, Lindquist said, but will consult with the Husted's family in determining whether to pursue a capital case against the two men.

Prosecutors also charged Tonie Marie Williams-Irby, 42, and her boyfriend, Odies Delandus Walker, 41, of University Place, with first-degree murder and robbery.

Both are being held on $2 million bail.

Authorities say Williams-Irby, a Wal-Mart employee, began planning the robbery with Walker about a month ago. They later recruited Finley, and finally Turpin, to join the caper.

Police said tips generated from media publication and broadcasts of surveillance video footage and still-shots of Finley and Turpin fleeing the store helped generate a flood of tips that led to the arrests.

Among those in attendance in court this afternoon was a 26-year-old woman who said she was the gunman's girlfriend. Diamond Oliver sobbed as she left the courtroom, telling a reporter she'd tried for months to warn police about Finley's penchant for violence and crime.

"It had to go to somebody to getting killed before something was done, " Oliver said. "I knew he would kill someone, I thought it would be me."

Loomis Armored car guard Husted, was shot in the head, and a bystander was wounded during the robbery at 7001 Bridgeport Way W. in the Tacoma suburb.

Authorities say they've since recovered $40,000 of the cash from the money bag taken from Husted during the robbery.

Husted, the guard who was killed, was a 16-year veteran of Houston-based Loomis. He was unmarried, a company spokesman said.

Seattle Times staff reporter Christine Clarridge contributed to this report.