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Published: 2008-10-27 15:56:00
Updated: 2008-10-28 01:19:00

Murder suspect's family says he's innocent


Armond Devega - mug shot 10/24 - string of Raleigh robberies and murders, Stephanie Anderson, Anothony Scarborough, Mexico Lindo
Armond Devega - mug shot 10/24 - string of Raleigh robberies and murders, Stephanie Anderson, Anothony Scarborough, Mexico Lindo
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A judge denied bond Monday for a Raleigh man charged in two homicides and a string of armed robberies. Meanwhile, his family says he is innocent.

Armond Devega, 27, was arrested Friday at his parents' home, at 6037 Big Sandy Drive in Raleigh, on two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and nine counts of robbery for crimes dating to January.

Investigators say Devega shot and killed Anthony Dwayne Scarborough, 32, on Feb. 13 and Stephanie Powell Anderson, 39, at a Wilco-Hess gas station on April 10.

Devega also is charged with nine robberies that began Jan. 23 and ended Sept. 10. A clerk at the last robbery location was shot several times, but survived.

But Devega's aunt, Coquita Porter, said Monday she suspects a former girlfriend turned him in to police for reward money, because she knew he was getting married to someone else.

"I'd be totally shocked (if he did it)," Porter said, adding that she does not believe he looks like the assailant in surveillance video from some of the crimes.

"It's like, 'Oh my gosh, he's done this?'" she continued. "I've looked at the pictures of the people who have committed the murders. They don't look like Armond, at all."

Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue would not comment on the claim Monday afternoon.

Family members of both murder victims were also at Devega's first court appearance. They said they were relieved to know a suspect has been charged.

"It makes me feel a whole lot better knowing he can't hurt anyone else," Scarborough's father, James Ray, said. "It makes me feel a whole lot better.

"He was a coward," Anderson's brother, Orlando Powell, said. "He can't harm anyone else again. It's a relief. "I hate that we had to go through this to get him off the streets, but he needs to pay for what he's done."


29 Comments


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"It does not look like same man.Skin tone is off.The eyebrows don't even match.And the eyes are not alike.Regardless if he has pass record.Doesn't mean he did this.I think they need closer look at comparing the two pictures.And for some who thinks the law is never wrong.We just got a man in Goldsboro that spent 18 years in prison.And was innocent.The cops are human too.They can make mistakes."

Mistakes can be made, but how can you say that the skin tone is off and the brows & eyes don't even match. Coloring from a surveillance camera and a quality photo camera are no comparison. As for the brows and eyes, they take on a different look depending on different expressions. They do appear very similar. I would surely hope our justice system would not rely solely on the word of an ex-girlfriend but maybe there are some who choose to beleive this instead of a freind or love one doing such horrific crimes.

I think the eyes DO MATCH. And like others said, what would you expect the family to say? No way the police made an arrest on just the statement of an ex girl friend. Besides, Aunt Coquita is the only one to come up with that theory.

And Tab, if you cousin had a good alibi, he wouldn't have been arrested. A person can't be in two places at once.

"It does not look like same man.Skin tone is off.The eyebrows don't even match.And the eyes are not alike.Regardless if he has pass record.Doesn't mean he did this.I think they need closer look at comparing the two pictures.And for some who thinks the law is never wrong.We just got a man in Goldsboro that spent 18 years in prison.And was innocent.The cops are human too.They can make mistakes." hitwoman1965

. . . but not nearly as many grammatical mistakes as you made in that post!

For the last few months, every early morning, about 1-2am cable tv would show surveillance tapes of the crimes. Repeat it over and over and over again, every night. There are some pics where his nose if very pronounced,almost a perfect triangle. Well that nose looks just like the tapes. So do the eyes. And no. All blacks don't look alike to me so don't even go there.

It does not look like same man.Skin tone is off.The eyebrows don't even match.And the eyes are not alike.Regardless if he has pass record.Doesn't mean he did this.I think they need closer look at comparing the two pictures.And for some who thinks the law is never wrong.We just got a man in Goldsboro that spent 18 years in prison.And was innocent.The cops are human too.They can make mistakes.

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