A Sumner man suspected of following women home from bingo halls and casinos, assaulting them and snatching their purses is being held in jail on $1 million bail.
John Floyd Anthony, 55, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary in connection with an Oct. 29 attack on a Lakewood couple returning home from Emerald Queen Casino.
“This is what he does. He targets the elderly, follows these people home and assaults them to get what he wants,” Lakewood police Lt. Chris Lawler said Wednesday. “Preying on the elderly, does it get any worse?”
Investigators said Anthony also is a suspect in two purse snatchings in Tacoma, two in Pierce County, one in Fife and one in Puyallup.
Police believe Anthony followed a 72-year-old man and 68-year-old woman home to the 5600 block of 120th Street Southwest on Oct. 29 and watched as they parked in the garage.
According to charging papers:
Anthony was wearing a ski mask when he demanded the woman’s purse and tried to pull it from her hands. Her husband grabbed Anthony from behind and both men fell to the ground as the husband yelled to his wife to grab the robber’s gun.
The husband pulled Anthony’s mask off and hit him over the head with a brick.
As Anthony ran to his car and drove away, the husband threw the brick at Anthony’s vehicle and shattered the windshield.
The tug-of-war over the woman’s purse left several deep scratches and cuts to her hands. She also told police Anthony struck her in the head.
A detective familiar with Anthony’s previous robberies suggested looking at him, so officers went to his Sumner home and saw a sedan parked out front with a broken windshield and blood inside.
They obtained a search warrant for Anthony’s car and house and seized a pillow, towel and Seattle Mariners jacket that showed traces of blood.
Anthony had a head injury and his wife told police he called her Oct. 29 and said he needed help, charging papers state.
If Anthony is convicted of either charge, it will be his third strike, which carries a sentence of life in prison. He served time in prison for robbery convictions in 1998 and 2002.
Other charges against Anthony are possible, depending on the ongoing investigation by several local agencies, deputy prosecuting attorney Hugh Birgenheier said.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
stacia.glenn@thenewstribune.com
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