LORIS, SC (WBTW) – Three men connected to the armed robbery and shooting death of a convenience store owner in Loris pleaded guilty in court Wednesday.
United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon says Jonathan Stefan Vanderhorst, 23, Jim Tracy Miller, 28, and Demetrius Altman, 39, all of Tabor City, NC, have pled guilty in federal court in Florence.
The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearings showed that on May 3, 2016, Altman drove Miller and Vanderhorst to rob the Clarendon, NC Post Office. Upon arrival, Altman waited in the vehicle and Miller and Vanderhorst entered the Post Office. Vanderhorst jumped the counter, pulled out a gun, and struck the Post Office Clerk, the sole occupant of the post office. Ultimately, Vanderhorst and Miller stole $284 and the clerk’s cell phone and left in Altman’s vehicle.
Thirteen days later, on May 16, 2016, Altman drove Miller and Vanderhorst from Tabor City, NC to Loris, to rob the Loris Market and Beverage store. Again, Altman stayed in the vehicle and Vanderhorst and Miller entered the store. The only occupants of the store were the owners, a husband and his wife, both of whom were working behind the checkout counter.
After entering, Vanderhorst fired a shot at, but missed, the female victim. Vanderhorst then approached the counter and fired another shot up into the ceiling. The store owner took the money out of the register and passed it to Vanderhorst who took the money and handed it to Miller.
Vanderhorst then turned and fired two shots, striking and ultimately killing the store owner.
For each violation, Miller and Altman face a maximum possible penalty of 40 years, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to 3 years supervised release.
Vanderhorst faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten 10 years and a maximum of life, a fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least three 3 years.
