Charges Dropped For Robbery Suspect; Assailant Still At Large

By Adolfo Gonzalez

Students and faculty are once again being asked to be careful and vigilant while on campus; the assailant for the March 3 strong armed robbery has still not been apprehended.
The charges against 31-year-old Joseph Jones were dropped when officers were able to substantiate Jones’ alibi that he was not in the city of Houston on the day of the UHCL robbery.

On March 11, the University Forest Apartments received complaints about a suspicious man attempting to sell magazine subscriptions door to door. Jones was detained, and officers concluded that he fit the description of the man who was thought to be the suspect of the strong-armed robbery that occurred March 3.
The UHCL employee who was assaulted positively identified Jones among a lineup of other photos of possible suspects. Charges were pressed and Jones was taken to jail.
Jones pleaded guilty for criminal trespass after the arrest. After confirming Jones’ alibi, the charges of strong-armed robbery were dropped, and he was released.
“It’s a shame they caught the wrong guy,” said Yvette Aguirre-Pulido, currently working on her master’s degree in business, “But at least I find it comforting knowing that the police really are doing something to try and catch him.”
With the real assailant still on the loose, students and faculty are strongly urged to stay alert and aware of their surroundings.
Paul Willingham, chief of police, urges students to walk in pairs in well-lit areas.
“If a student suspects something wrong do not be afraid to contact the university police,” Willingham said.
The Police Department is continuing its investigation following additional leads that have surfaced this week.  Again, the description of the suspect is:        
5’ 9”, medium build, Hispanic male
Dark short hair
A 7” cross tattoo on the underside of his right arm
Mid 20s to 30s
The subject may be wearing the victim’s large diamond stud earrings
The police encourage anyone with information about the March 3 robbery on The UHCL campus to contact the UHCL Police at 281-283-2222.

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