Two captured for robbing local tobacco store Tuesday; stolen money recovered

Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies tracked down and arrested a Lily man and a Gray woman who they say robbed Brock’s Tobacco Store on Ky. 229 Tuesday night.

According to Sheriff John Root, the suspects are Shawn K. Stehlin, 32, and Darla McCormick, 46.

Root stated that the incident began about 8 p.m. when a lone gunman with a panty hose mask came into the store about five miles south of London. He pointed a pistol at the clerk and demanded money and the fled the scene in a vehicle driven by a female accomplice.

"The suspect vehicle was a maroon colored trail blazer," Root stated.

Capt. Rodney Van Zant, Senior Sgt. Greg Poynter and deputies Larry Parrott, Robbie Grimes and Josh Scott responded to the 911 call from the store.

"While enroute, deputies learned that a witness had followed the possible suspect vehicle (which had been hidden in a car wash bay nearby) a short distance and had gotten the license tag information off it also," Root stated.

Acting on that information, deputies began the search. A short time later, Parrott found the vehicle near a store on Ky. 552 in Lily. McCormick, who was still in the vehicle, was taken into custody.

As the investigation continued, Root stated that deputies learned that the McCormick had dropped the Stehlin suspect off at his mother’s home on Ky 552. Poynter and Parrott followed up, finding Stehlin hiding under the bed. He was taken into custody following a scuffle with deputies.

"All the stolen money was recovered there," Root stated.

"(McCormick) showed deputies where (Stehlin) had thrown the gun out of the vehicle," Root added, noting it was found on Ky, 1189 near U.S.25, not far from the scene of the robbery.

McCormick and Stehlin have each been charged with one count of first-degree robbery and lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Facility.