Hotel robbery suspect charged

A man suspected in a string of heists from the Midwest through the deep south, including the robbery of an American State Bank in Osceola, was charged with first-degree robbery in connection the Sept. 13, holdup at the Newton EconoLodge Inn and Suites.

David Paul Beaudoin, 49, of Detroit, Mich. was officially charged by the Newton Police Department Monday. According to a press release issued by Lt. Wes Breckenridge, investigators said that the subject displayed a knife and handed the Newton motel employee a note demanding money. Police officials released a surveillance video still to the media in September and obtained a physical description of the suspect which eventually tied Beaudoin to the incident.

The EconoLodge at 1405 W. 19th St. S. was robbed around 8 a.m. Sept. 13 followed by
the Osceola bank at 2:50 p.m. Osceola Police Chief Marty Duffus and Breckenridge confirmed during the initial investigation that the two departments were working together. Breckenridge stopped short of confirming Beaudoin was the primary suspect, but Duffus said, “It’s our general belief that our guy and Newton are related.” The amount of money taken from the EconoLodge still is undisclosed this morning.

The Pensacola News Journal reported in October that a Jackson County, Miss., sheriff’s deputy spotted Beaudoin driving a green 1999 Buick Park Avenue. The car had been reported stolen in Michigan, and Beaudoin was the suspected robber of a BB&T Bank in Daphne, Ala. The suspect in that hold up presented a gun and a note demanding money from the teller, who gave him the cash.

As the deputy turned on his lights to stop the car, Beaudoin exited onto U.S. 90 and began speeding through Pascagoula, Miss. The driver stopped the car and ran. He was captured quickly by a sheriff’s office dog, according to the report. He was taken into custody after the chase.

Bank robberies are federal cases so this case is being turned over to the FBI.

Calls to the NPD inquiring if Beaudoin would return to Jasper County to stand trial were not immediately returned this morning.

Mike Mendenhall can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 422 or via e-mail at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com.