GUILTY NC - William “Andy” Banks, 39, Raleigh, met someone about selling his car, 12 Sept 2020 *ARREST*

[borndem]

Oh wow, I didn’t know that. I remember sitting in a bank for ever about 6-7 years ago trying to get the title notarized. Good to know, especially in the context of this case.

I'm not so sure about that in NC...
Here's what I found for NC vehicle title transfer:

-----------------------​

For a title transfer, the information on the back of the original title must be completed by both the original owner and the recipient. North Carolina titles must be notarized. For out-of-state titles, NCDMV will recognize that state's requirements.Nov 25, 2019

Official NCDMV: Vehicle Title Transfers - ncdot

 

[swanniee11]

I'm not so sure about that in NC...
Here's what I found for NC vehicle title transfer:

-----------------------​

For a title transfer, the information on the back of the original title must be completed by both the original owner and the recipient. North Carolina titles must be notarized. For out-of-state titles, NCDMV will recognize that state's requirements.Nov 25, 2019

Official NCDMV: Vehicle Title Transfers - ncdot

I think we are past this issue. IMO

 

[Boodles]

Has LE done a press conference locally? Where are they looking for Andy — NC or VA? Have any local search parties been organized? Are his loved ones out looking, or have they bern told to stay home and not do that?

sun, Raleigh PD has not held any press conferences. They have not said where they are looking. They’ve been tight lipped about the case, no doubt to protect their investigation. I guess (hope) we’ll find out later what they’ve discovered. Merritt wanting his own attorney (vs a public defender), sounds to me like he’s going to fight the charges, and future charges, should they come to fruition.

 

[borndem]

Welcome to Websleuths,
Timekiller !!​

 

[borndem]

Not necessarily. He's been extradited to Raleigh.
By Wednesday morning, Merritt had been moved to Wake County Detention Center. He is being held on a $265,000 secured bond, and he is expected to appear in front of a judge sometime Wednesday.

It's gotten much worse for this guy now WRT bond.
rbm
---------------------------------------------
Charge Status Docket # Bond Amount
ROBBERY WITH DANGEROUS WEAPON AWAITING TRIAL 20CR214141 SECURE BOND $0.00

LARCENY OF MOTOR VEHICLE (F) AWAITING TRIAL 20CR214120 SECURE BOND $2,000,000.00

POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY FELON AWAITING TRIAL 20CR214142 SECURE BOND $0.00

Total Bond Amount:$2,000,000.00
Name:
MERRITT, JUSTIN FERNANDO

Age:
34 YEARS OLD

Race / Sex: BLACK / MALE
Arrest Date: 9/15/2020
Release Date:
Next Court Date: 10/7/2020

-------------------------------------------
Wake County Sheriff's Office P2C

 

[borndem]

According to warrants for his arrest for larceny, Justin Merritt threatened and endangered the life of Andy Banks with a firearm.
Andy Banks is still MISSING. Call 911 if you have any information. https://t.co/sMCMZ246ds

Thanks for the info, JTF -- it's good too "see" you here!

It's tuff being positive for Mr. Banks. But I'm trying because a friend of mine spoke so warmly and positively about him. SMH.

 

[borndem]

My guess is that he took off. But they’ll find an accomplice(s) soon enough, IMO.

.. ...HiYa, Boodles! ...

I agree -- the other one will probably be brought in soon enuff.

(Obviously, I'm running behind in this thread...)

 

[sun16]

The issue I see is ... the Range Rover was driven 90 minutes away from the original meeting place. If Andy was in it, he could be anywhere off the beaten path in that 90 mile area.

 

[sun16]

If more than one suspect, doesn’t it seem like more times than not, these criminals almost always turn on the other one. Can’t imagine Merritt would want all the heat if someone else were involved and still free out there. We’d assume he knows who that other person is, if there is one.

 

[Marg from Oz]

The issue I see is ... the Range Rover was driven 90 minutes away from the original meeting place. If Andy was in it, he could be anywhere off the beaten path in that 90 mile area.[/QUOTE


Unless they get information from the perp/s, it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

[momsof3]

SBM BBM
1) LE linked defendant to the Craigslist transfer, I'm sure that's how defendant was located so quickly ---> I'm assuming either tracing the burner phones back to owner or craigslist anonymous email back to real email or IP address
2) Witnesses corroborated the transaction ---> wonder if someone saw the exchange, or someone on defendant side squealed
3) Evidence in vehicle proved dangerous weapon was used ---> maybe bullet casing or blood found

Agree with all of these - for 3) "Evidence in vehicle proved dangerous weapon was used" - could it be gunshot residue found in the car/on the seats? There is a simple test for hands/clothes. I wonder if they could just have swabbed the car.

I also think someone involved is talking - 2) is more evidence of that.

 

[Ontario Mom]

It's entirely possible AB was under the false impression that he was meeting 2 men, because that's what JM told him when they set up the meeting, that him and his friend/brother/whoever would be meeting him. Entirely possible there was no one else, just JM.

 

[Truecolors]

I have thought about Eve a lot in this case.

I lived in NH when that happened. Had totally forgotten that awful crime.

I’ve been thinking of Eve Carson, too. She, too, was so deeply loved by the community.

The glaring difference is the time of day. Knowing that the perps drove Eve around to try to get more money from ATMs, they could do that under the cover of night. But this was 2 pm on a Saturday, from Cameron Village to the Harrison exit of 40. It boggles my mind to think of a hostage situation going unnoticed. They had to be seen by so many

MOO

 

[Timekiller]

Welcome to Websleuths,
Timekiller !!​

Thank you, I have been following websluths for years but finally created an account. This is really a truly great community for fellow sleuthers that want to be part of the investigations or at least talk about them in a safe, friendly and informative manner. Its amazing how this community always draw somebody in that is local to an event and has some great first hand knowledge of the people, locations and other pieces of the puzzle only known to locals. Thanks for building a great community of work. I am truly honored to be here.

 

[sun16]

There are other Range Rover ads posted on the Danville area Craigslist site, and plenty of other vehicles (obviously). I wonder if Merritt reached out to anyone else. How would he know who he was dealing or meeting with just from the posting? Man, men, big men!, woman. Maybe Andy described himself. I guess Merritt could always bail on his plan anytime. But it makes me wonder who else he might have reached out to and why, or why not.

 

[stormymama]

A woman in my women's study group (we're studying Moses) mentioned this man at our meeting on Monday, the 14th. He lives in her neighborhood, and she knows him -- she says he's a nice guy. We all agreed that it didn't sound good, as we so often say here.
She said that the whole neighborhood was upset.
And now this more recent news...

The area where he was to meet the guy is within a group of trendy shops, very fine stores, etc., and it's in an old, established, high-dollar residential area. So they didn't meet in a "bad" area of town by any means. SMH. My DH and I had a teeny-tiny house not far from there in years past, and it's not a place where one would expect something like this to happen. OTOH, everything happens everywhere now, it seems.
Why did the owner of the Rover put his vehicle on Craig's list?? Ugh <shudder>.

Of course, we don't have many details yet... but it'll probably be about all we are likely to get...

So this one has got its hooks in me.

Agreed, I would never feel have felt unsafe in Cameron Village. Even with COVID restrictions, it is still a busy shopping center. On a Saturday in broad daylight boggles my mind! The only thing that bugged me was they met in the K&W parking lot, which is closed, but there is so much around there - including the line of banks on the adjacent street, surely with cameras. Being from Danville and not Raleigh, it doesn't seem that JM would have known all that, which makes this horrible crime all the more brazen.

 

[HamlinApprehension]

Why such an extremely high bond? 2 million? Comparing his charges to others and even with his previous charges i've seen way less. I don't know if i'm underestimating but I feel like LE does know more with that size bond.

 

[sun16]

It's entirely possible AB was under the false impression that he was meeting 2 men, because that's what JM told him when they set up the meeting, that him and his friend/brother/whoever would be meeting him. Entirely possible there was no one else, just JM.

If that’s accurate, I sort of wonder, how did JM know AB wouldn’t show up with another guy or two? It just makes me wonder how much JM and AB told each other about themselves or who would be at the meet up.

 

[mks762]

I was hoping they’d find Andy before all this hurricane rain moved in here tonight and tomorrow.

I woke up to the rain a little north east of Danville, thinking this exact sentiment. Danville is getting hit hard today and tomorrow, NC as well. With as quickly as they found the car and the suspect I'm shocked Andy has not been found yet. Praying he is soon, my heart aches for his family and friends

 

[Jeepguy]

There are other Range Rover ads posted on the Danville area Craigslist site, and plenty of other vehicles (obviously). I wonder if Merritt reached out to anyone else. How would he know who he was dealing or meeting with just from the posting? Man, men, big men!, woman. Maybe Andy described himself. I guess Merritt could always bail on his plan anytime. But it makes me wonder who else he might have reached out to and why, or why not.

He also advertised it on Facebook marketplace, so it's possible JM matched up the ads so he knew who he was dealing with but contacted through craigslist to be anonymous?

2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport · Supercharged Sport Utility 4D