Man Arrested in Water Valley Armed Robbery Linked to Multi-State Crime Spree

WATER VALLEY, TX – A suspect in the armed robbery of an Allsup’s convenience store in Water Valley on Tuesday morning has been arrested and tied to a string of crimes across Texas and New Mexico, law enforcement confirmed.

The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office responded to an aggravated robbery call at around 6:50 a.m. on November 19 at the Allsup’s on US Hwy 87 North. According to deputies, a man entered the store, made a small purchase, and presented a $5 bill. When the cash drawer opened, the suspect brandished a firearm and demanded cash. He fled the scene with less than $75 in a gray passenger vehicle. Evidence collected at the scene led investigators to pursue a suspect, with security footage playing a key role in the investigation.

Later that day, authorities discovered the same suspect had robbed another Allsup in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on November 18. Footage from the Las Vegas store revealed the suspect was driving a vehicle stolen from El Paso, Texas. The El Paso Police Department, already investigating the vehicle theft, identified the suspect as 24-year-old Emmanuel Oyetunde of El Paso. 

An “Attempt to Locate” alert for the stolen vehicle led the Junction Police Department to stop the car in Junction, Texas, around 11 a.m. on November 19. Oyetunde, wearing clothing matching that seen in security footage of both robberies, was arrested without incident. Officers also recovered a firearm that had been reported stolen in El Paso.

With evidence from multiple jurisdictions, Tom Green County investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Oyetunde in connection with the Water Valley robbery. On November 20, investigators traveled to Junction, where they interviewed Oyetunde and gathered additional evidence.

Oyetunde is currently being held at the Kimble County Jail, facing charges of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle in El Paso County and Aggravated Robbery in Tom Green County. Additional charges may be filed as investigations in Texas and New Mexico continue.

The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office credited the Sterling County Sheriff’s Office, Kimble County Sheriff’s Office, Junction Police Department, El Paso Police Department, and Las Vegas Police Department for their cooperation in the multi-state investigation.