COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The third suspect in a series of robberies, including one that resulted in a fatal shooting at an AutoZone store in Polaris South, has been arrested by Delaware County deputies.
Anthony Blakely, 27, was apprehended on Wednesday in connection to the robbery that turned deadly on August 24 at the AutoZone store on Sancus Boulevard. When 43-year-old customer Alejandro Fajardo-Torres attempted to intervene, he was shot and killed by one of the suspects. Blakely is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on January 16.
A total of 17 charges have been filed against Blakely, Zackeyis Davis, and Darius Wynn, who are all suspected of committing multiple robberies in 2023. A Delaware County grand jury indicted all three on December 21 for a variety of charges including murder, aggravated murder, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
According to court documents, the trio was involved in a series of robberies, targeting area auto parts retail stores, spanning from May 14, 2023, to September 16, 2023. They were also categorized as an enterprise, along with other unidentified individuals, involved in the same robberies.
The indictment stated that Davis, 22, and Wynn, 28, allegedly robbed a restaurant three times on May 14, June 13, and August 11. They also targeted a Burger King a week later.
Police believe the three suspects then moved to hit AutoZone stores, starting on August 21. They stole from one AutoZone store and then moved to another on August 22 before entering their next target near Polaris Fashion Place on August 24, where Fajardo-Torres was fatally shot.
Fajardo-Torres, a customer at the time of the incident, was trying to stop the robbery when he was shot. He was pronounced dead on the scene, while a second victim was hospitalized with blunt-force trauma injuries.
Blakely’s arrest comes after Davis was taken into custody in September and received a $5 million bond, and Wynn had his bond increased from $3 million to $5 million. They are both next scheduled to appear in court on February 13.
The trio has been linked to a series of violent robberies, and their arrests have brought some closure to the community affected by these tragic events.