The second of two suspects from a home invasion robbery last month was arrested Wednesday on felony charges.
Dennis Ray Fitzgerald, 56, who lists a Rockcliff Circle address, was taken into custody at 7:45 p.m. on warrants for aggravated residential burglary, punishable by up to life in prison, and theft of property over $1,000, punishable by up to six years.
His girlfriend and alleged accomplice, Amber Lynn Martin, 42, was arrested Jan. 3 in Texarkana on the same charges and is still awaiting extradition to Hot Springs. Martin was also charged with a felony count of second-degree battery, punishable by up to 10 years, stemming from allegations she hit one of the victims with a machete and possibly a claw hammer.
Fitzgerald was being held on zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Dec. 30, shortly after 7 p.m., Hot Springs police responded to a residence on Morrison Avenue regarding a stolen vehicle and aggravated residential burglary and made contact with the male resident, 48, who said he and his fiancee, 51, had been robbed about an hour earlier.
He said that around 6 p.m. he was awakened by a noise coming from the living room and when he went to check he saw a man he recognized as Fitzgerald brandishing a pistol and a woman he recognized as Martin holding what appeared to be a machete.
He said the two were both yelling at his fiancee who was in the living room when the two had made entry. When Fitzgerald saw the resident, he allegedly pointed the pistol at him and began accusing him of "stealing stuff" and damaging his vehicle.
At that point, Martin allegedly struck the victim's fiancee several times with the machete and possibly a claw hammer, the affidavit states. She was reportedly hit multiple times in the head and hands, but was able to break away and flee the residence through the front door.
The victim was also able to flee out the rear door and he located his fiancee at another residence and they later returned to their home to discover their car, a blue 2007 Ford Fusion, valued at $3,200, was missing. The victim noted the keys to the car had been inside the house when he fled.
The victim told police he and his fiancee had met Martin and Fitzgerald a couple of weeks earlier and had given them rides and attempted to help them out.
The victim's fiancee was taken to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs where she was treated for a laceration to her forehead, two bruises to the top of her head and a laceration to a finger on her left hand.
Police put out a "Be On the Lookout" alert for both Fitzgerald and Martin and posted their photos and information on social media asking for the public's help in locating them.
Local on 01/12/2018