The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A Texas man has been accused of robbing a bank in order to pay for the costs associated with his wedding, including his bride-to-be’s ring.
After getting engaged early in the summer, 30-year-old Heath Edward Bumpus and his fiancée were reportedly planning to wed on Saturday, October 5, and they intended to hold their reception at the Cochino Lodge in Houston.
On Friday, around 11:30 am, Bumpus allegedly showed up at the Citizens State Bank in Groveton and calmly went inside using the entrance at the back of the building.
When he walked up to the area where the tellers were working, Bumpus reportedly handed out Walmart bags to them. After informing one of the tellers that he had a gun he instructed them all to place the money from their till’s into the bags for him.
The tellers complied with his request and reportedly gave Bumpus around $7,000 before he turned and strolled out of the bank without further incident.
The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office was alerted about the alleged robbery, and after they collected identifying information about the suspect they began to search for him. They posted his image, taken from the bank’s security camera, on their social media pages and asked the public to assist them with any information about the man.
After leaving the bank, Bumpus reportedly headed to the Cochino Lodge to pay his $2,600 bill for the wedding celebration. On his way to Houston, Bumpus allegedly changed his clothes and discarded them, in addition to other items in his vehicle, along the road.
Bumpus’ fiancée happened to come across the social media post that the authorities had put online and she believed the man in the picture was her husband-to-be. The woman hastily called Bumpus and questioned him about what was going on, and when she reportedly learned that he had taken money from the bank she told him to turn himself in to the police immediately.
Bumpus took the suggestion of his fiancée to heart and went to the Houston County Courthouse to surrender himself.
The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office said that they found the items Bumpus discarded from his vehicle when he was allegedly on his way to the Cochino Lodge, and after checking the cash he had used to pay them it was determined that the serial numbers matched the bills that were missing from the bank.
A loaded pistol was also allegedly discovered in Bumpus’ vehicle, but it is unknown whether he brought it into the bank since he did not show a weapon during the alleged heist.
According to the authorities, Bumpus told them that he was currently struggling with his mental health and finances, and he was unable to afford to buy his fiancée a ring. He also allegedly confirmed that he needed to pay for the venue.
Bumpus was incarcerated in lieu of a $300,000 bond and he is being charged for suspicion of aggravated robbery.
The authorities reported that most of the money was retrieved, but Bumpus’ wedding was canceled due to the legal troubles.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.