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Family of slain armored car guard sues State of Washington www.privateofficer.com
The family is accusing the state of failing to watch Calvin Finley, the convicted felon who killed 38-year-old Kurt Husted during the June 2009 robbery.
The Husted family says there’s no excuse for why Finley wasn’t locked up behind bars at the time of the killing. His parents are now suing the state, claiming the Department of Corrections failed to keep tabs on Finley.
“This person was recognized as one of the most dangerous people out there,” said Jeremy Johnston, an attorney who’s representing the family.
According to the lawsuit, Finley had been in and out of prison for years prior to the robbery. The suit also contends Finley violated the conditions of his release time and time again, but was never returned to prison.
At the time Husted was killed, there was an active warrant for Finley’s arrest.
“They should have picked him up right away,” said Kurt’s mom, Janet Husted. “They knew where he was. So the jails are crowded. Make them sleep in shifts, I don’t care.”
Wilbert Pina is also suing. He was a customer that day and was hit by the same bullet that killed Husted.
“All of a sudden I felt a push in my shoulder and I heard a bang,” he said.
Pina, who was with his one-year-old son, had no idea he’d been hit until he turned around and saw Husted.
“And he’s lying in his own blood. It’s just, it’s hard to picture it, but to erase it you can’t, it’s just there,” he said.
Pina said he still has daily pain from the bullet that’s lodged in his bone.
“That should have never happened,” he said.
The Department of Corrections released a statement on the lawsuit, stating it does not normally discuss pending litigation and will work to find the best course of action for the agency, taxpayers and all parties involved.
A total of four people were convicted and sentenced, including Finley, for the robbery and shooting,
Man pleads guilty in murder of armored car guard www.privateofficer.com
The News Tribune of Tacoma says Marshawn Turpin also pleaded guilty Tuesday to assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery.
Loomis guard Kurt Husted was shot in the head for a bag of money in June 2009 outside the Lakewood, Wash., Wal-Mart store.
Turpin admitted he accompanied Calvin Finley into the store that day to rob Husted. Finley previously pleaded guilty to shooting Husted and is serving a life sentence. Turpin grabbed Husted’s money bag and ran after the shooting.
Odies Walker is accused of planning the robbery. Charged with aggravated first-degree murder, he is due to go on trial March 1.
2010 Security Hall of Fame Inductees www.privateofficer.com
PRESS RELEASE
The following 9 persons have been inducted into the Private Officer Hall of Fame.
The inductees were selected from a list of 64 nominations for their courageous acts of bravery and valor, professionalism and contributions to the private security industry.
This was an inaugural induction to pay honor to those who have given their all to protect life and property, their client, their community and the general public at large.
Each year from this day forward, the Private Officer Hall of Fame inductions will be held during the week of April 25th in honor of the founder and CEO of the association, Mr. Rick McCann.
The Private Officer International association is a private security organization with members in 10 countries. The association provides support services including an on-line training school and certifications program, a benevolent program for injured officers or families of security officers killed in the line of duty, a radio program geared toward security, services and products for the public safety industry and regional seminars.
For more information please contact kyletgreene@privateofficer.com.
2010 INDUCTEES
DERRICK BRUN
Red Lake, MI
Officer Derrick Brun was working at the Red Lake High School as an unarmed security officer in May 2005 when heavily armed 16 year old student Jeff Weise entered the school. Brun confronted the suspect allowing another security officer and numerous students to flee.
The suspect shot Officer Brun and then went on a shooting spree killing 9 others. Because of the selfless actions of Officer Brun, numerous students and staff were unharmed.
DERRICK MCFARLAND
Blacksburg VA.
Officer McFarland was employed at the Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg VA. and was shot and killed in August 2006 while attempting to stop the escape of a prisoner who had been brought to the facility for medical treatment.
The suspect managed to disarm and kill a deputy sheriff and officer McFarland and was later captured.
McFarland leaves behind his wife Cindy, and the couple’s two children.
DAVID RYAN TRIPP
Titusville Fla.
While working an unarmed security patrol at the Great Outdoors RV Park and Golf resort Officer Tripp encounted a fight involving several people. As he attempted to break up the disturbance he was killed by Shawn Cramer, a man who broke into the complex and killed three other people that night.
Tripp put up a huge battle against the armed suspect and was credited by local authorities for his brave acts which prevented further deaths that night.
Cramer was later captured and sentenced to prison for the murders.
CHERMAINE JOSEPH-QUETEL
Miami Fla.
Officer Quetel was on patrol of a MetroRail train station when she was attacked and shot and killed.
She was a dedicated, professional security and law enforcement practioner.
Quetel was a 5 year veteran of the Atlantis Security Company and a former police officer.
KURT HUSTED
LAKEWOOD WA.
While working as an armored car security officer for Loomis in June 2009 Husted was shot dead during a robbery at an area Wal-Mart.
He had been employed with the company for 16yrs and was a dependable, well-liked, professional private officer.
Husted was an avid dirt bike racer and had plans of getting married and becoming a helicopter pilot.
Four suspects have been arrested and charged with the robbery and murder.
MATT PRINDLE
DALLAS TX.
In December 2008 Officer Prindle was an employee of US Security Associates assigned to a bank in the metro Dallas area when he encountered an armed man attempting to rob the bank. The suspect fired numerous shots striking Officer Prindle twice, once in the chest and once in the abdomen. Officer Prindle returned fire as he sought cover and struck the suspect at least once which proved fatal to the bank robber. Officer Prindle was ialso nstrumental in evacuating bank employees and patrons and giving detail information to police via his cellphone as he took gunfire.
Officer Prindle survived his wounds because he was wearing his body armour. This was not the first incident that Prindle has been involved in where his actions prevented harm or loss of life to his employer and he is regarded in the security industry as a highly professional, skillful private officer.
STEVEN TYRONE JOHNS
WASHINGTON DC
Special police officer Johns was killed in a gun battle at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC on June 10 2009 when a man armed with a rifle entered and began shooting. Two other officers engaged the suspect striking the suspect who they then took into custody.
Johns was a well liked, professional security police officer who had worked at the museum for six years.
Johns left behind a wife and a son.
HARRY WEEKS
WASHINGTON DC
Special police officer Harry Weeks was employed by the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington DC on June 10 2009 when an amred man entered and began shooting, striking Officer Steven Tyrone Johns. Officer Weeks and his partner, officer Jason McCuiston returned fire striking the shooter. The officers then took the shooter into custody preventing any further injury or death to museum employees or patrons.
Officer Weeks is a 27 year veteran of the Washington DC police department who had recently retired and took a postion with the museum.
JASON McCUISTON
WASHINGTON DC
Special police officer McCuiston was employed by the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington DC on June 10 2009 when an amred man entered and began shooting, striking Officer Steven Tyrone Johns. Officer McCuiston and his partner, officer Harry Weeks returned fire striking the shooter. The officers then took the shooter into custody. Becuase of the heroic actions of these officers, the shooter never entered the main area of the museum preventing any further injury or death to museum employees or patrons
Officer McCuiston is a former U.S. Marine and Georgia police officer.
Armored car guard murderer gets life www.privateofficer.com
A Pierce County Superior Court judge handed down that sentence to Calvin Finley, 37, who pleaded guilty to the murder last July.
Finley admits that he shot armored truck guard Kurt Husted last June, then fled the scene.
Husted’s family and fiance sat in the courtroom Friday and spoke to Finley before the life sentence was handed down.
“I want you to know something, Mr. Finley,” said Husted’s fiancee, Deborah Bishop. “I feel sorry for you. I’ve been very bitter. But you know what? I’m done with that. It’s time to stop reminding myself of what won’t be – and plan for what will be.”
Finley showed no remorse and did not apologize for the murder. But Bishop says she is relieved justice has been served.
Finley originally was scheduled to be sentenced in January, but it was held up by some last-minute legal maneuvering.
Prosecutors say surveillance tape caught the execution-style killing and theft of the money bags Husted was transporting to the armored truck.
Four other people – Marshawn Turpin, 20; Tonie Williams-Irby, 42; Odies Walker, 41; and Brittney Marie Maas-Baines – have been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in the case. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors said the group spent a month planning the heist, and two of them celebrated with a big dinner at Red Lobster afterward.
As a Wal-Mart employee, Williams-Irby was briefed at company meetings about the weekly and monthly income of the store, and she told the other suspects that “hundreds of thousands of dollars” could be stolen from the armored car.
In the three days before the robbery, Finley and Walker went to the Wal-Mart store and timed the movements of the armored car and the guard carring the money bags, according to court documents. During this period, Turpin also was recruited to help out in the scheme.
On the day of the robbery, Williams-Irby was working at the store. The armored truck arrived near the front door, and Husted proceeded into the store.
Shortly afterward, Walker drove a white Buick up to the store’s front entrance, about 100 feet behind the armored car. Surveillance cameras then showed that Finley and Turpin got out of the car and walked quickly into the store.
Less than a minute later, Finley and Turpin approached the guard as he was walking toward the exit in a crowded area of the store, with a cart containing bags of cash and checks.
Finley then whipped out a handgun and shot the guard, Husted, in the face, according to court documents. Husted collapsed to the floor as Finley calmly turned and walked out of the store.
Turpin, who also was armed, swooped down and and grabbed the money bags from the guard’s cart, then ran from the store behind Finley, court documents say.
When Finley was arrested, officers found more than $20,000 in a safe in the trunk of his car, according to court documents. When Irby-Williams and Walker were arrested, more than $20,000 was found in a safe at their home.
Man pleads guilty in killing of armored car guard www.privateofficer.com
The man accused of fatally shooting a Loomis armored-car guard during a robbery at a Lakewood Wal-Mart in June pleaded guilty this morning to aggravated first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Calvin Finley, 35, was accused of killing Kurt Husted on June 2. He agreed to plead guilty to avoid facing the death penalty, according to Mark Lindquist, chief criminal deputy for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors have already said they would not seek the death penalty against three co-defendants who have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The co-defendants — Marshawn A. Turpin, 20; Odies D. Walker, 41; and Tonie Marie Williams-Irby, 42 — are also charged with robbery and aggravated first-degree murder, the only charge in Washington punishable by death.
If convicted as charged, they will face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors had until Friday to decide whether to seek the death penalty against Finley.
According to police and prosecutors, Williams-Irby was a floor manager at Wal-Mart who planned the robbery with Walker, her boyfriend, and then recruited Finley and Turpin.
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Two arrested in fatal armored car robbery www.privateofficer.com
According to the Lakewood police, the suspects were arrested shortly before midnight. The suspects are currently being held at the Pierce County jail.
Jail records show the suspects are a man and a woman. The man has been booked on charges of first degree murder, first degree assault, robbery, and possession of a controlled substance. The woman has been booked on charges of first degree murder, first degree assault and robbery.
Police say more arrests are anticipated.
“We were walking in and all of the sudden ‘POP,’” said one witness. “We heard the shot. We turned around and the guy was on the ground.”
“People started running,” said another.
Loomis Armored has identified the driver who was killed as 39-year-old Kurt Husted. He was with the company for 16 years.
Police say the other victim is a father who was holding his small child. He was hit in the shoulder by the same bullet that killed Husted. His injuries are considered non-life-threatening.
“Our thoughts are with the victims of this tragedy,” said Walmart spokesperson Anna Taylor.
Police say a bag was taken from Husted, but Loomis spokesman Pat Flaherty says it was not immediately known whether the bag contained any money.
Officers checked every vehicle leaving the store lot as they searched for the suspects.
The suspects are described as black males. One is 6 feet tall with an average build who was wearing a white hat with colored trim across the bill, a long sleeve white shirt and black pants.
The second suspect is 6-feet to 6-feet 2-inches tall. He was wearing a blue baseball hat and a blue short sleeve button up short over a white t-shirt and blue jeans.
The white 1993 Buick Skylark used to make the getaway was located by police at South 66th Street and South Monroe Street in Tacoma, about 2 miles from the Walmart. The suspects were not inside. Neighbors say they had seen the car in the area recently.
“They could be in anybody’s house around here. If they are, I would that they would come out. That’s bad they just killed somebody,” said one nervous neighbor.
A friend says Husted was a nice man who went out of his way to help others.
“Kurt was quite noticeably a soft spoken young man,” said Ryan Donahue. “He was in helicopter pilot school intending to some day change professions. He loved motorcycles and was an amateur motorcycle racer.”
Mount Tahoma High School, Gray Middle School and Manitou Park Elementary School were all briefly under lockdown.
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