Three Charged In Armed Robbery That Turned Deadly

MOUNT CLEMENS (WWJ) - Three people have been charged in connection with a deadly shooting in what police say was an armed robbery gone wrong.

Christopher Jones, 27, Randy Mahaffey, 27, and Ashley Redmond, 25, were charged Thursday in connection with the murder of 44-year-old James Capizzo, who was gunned down the day after Christmas.

Police say Capizzo was found with a gunshot wound to the head around 1:30 a.m., lying in the snow at the foot of a staircase of a home on S. Main Street in Mt. Clemens. Capizzo was rushed to the hospital, where he died two days later.

The suspect fled from the scene immediately after the shooting and initially could only be described as a black male. Deputies found two spent .22 long-rifle shell casings at the scene, and called in a K-9 to track the suspect. Police say the K-9 led officers to a house on Gratiot Avenue.

Detectives interviewed the homeowner and other witnesses who were present at the address where the shooting took place, and eventually identified the alleged shooter as Jones.

Investigators further learned that Capizzo was in the same apartment as one of the suspects, Mahaffey, prior to the shooting. Police say Mahaffey initially gave them a false account of what happened, but evidence and other witness accounts revealed that he was involved in what was originally going to be armed robbery that turned deadly.

In an attempt to locate Jones, detectives set up surveillance at a different address in Mt. Clemens and ultimately arrested Redmond -- Jones' fiance -- as she exited the home with a rifle, police said. It is believed that the rifle was used in the shooting, and Redmond was in the process of discarding the evidence, according to police.

Police eventually located and arrested Jones when he exited a business in Harper Woods.

Jones, of Mt. Clemens, was charged with felony murder, armed robbery, felony firearm, and felon in possession, and was ordered held without bond.

Mahaffey, of Clinton Township, was charged with armed robbery, and given a $500,000 cash-or-surety bond.

Redmond, of Mt. Clemens, was charged with accessory after-the-fact to a felony, and given a $5,000 personal bond.

All three are due back in court on January 11.