Cape Coral Police have arrested a third suspect in the home invasion that occurred on Monday, June 8. Garyard Lamar Gaskin Jr., 20, was arrested Thursday and charged with home invasion robbery and aggravated battery, according to police reports.
Cape Police had probable cause for his arrest but were unable to locate him following the incident, officials said.
Amanda Lee Schaller, 19, and William Ambrose Gates Jr., 20, were arrested on June 11 and June 17, respectively, in connection with the robbery. Both were charged with home invasion robbery and aggravated battery. Schaller and Gates were arrested by LCSO Det. Paul Harvey, who worked with Cape Det. Erica Cunningham and Cape Det. Patricia Enterline.
According to CCPD reports, on June 8 at 8:26 p.m., Cape Police responded to 716 S.E. 6th Terrace in reference to a home invasion robbery. James Tanner stated that he was watching television when someone began to ring the door bell and knock on his windows. He went to the front door and looked out the peep hole, and saw a Hispanic female with dark hair in a pony tail. Tanner stated that while he was looking out the peep hole, a black male, later identified as Gaskin, entered his residence through the inner garage door.
Gaskin reportedly hit Tanner twice on the head with a gun, causing him to bleed. Gaskin asked for money and pills, and took Tanner to the back bedroom where he took a wallet, $300 – $400 cash and several prescriptions. When Gaskin left the home, reports state Tanner ran out the front door and screamed for help as the two black males ran from his residence to a white, 4-door Chrysler parked in his driveway. He recognized the driver of the vehicle as the same Hispanic female who rang the doorbell.
Police reported that Tanner said that one of the black males pointed a gun at him and began to walk in his direction; however, the man tripped and then ran back to the car. Tanner managed to see the last three digits of the vehicle tag and noted that a bungee cord was holding down the trunk.
Tanner was able to positively identify all three of the suspects, police said.
During the investigation, detectives determined that the vehicle used in the crime was a 1997 white, 4-door Chrysler registered to Schaller. The Chrysler was found abandoned in Fort Myers, and the vehicle had a bungee cord holding down the trunk.
Schaller was located and arrested shortly thereafter.
Gates, a reported associate of Schaller, was positively identified as the man who entered the residence with Gaskin to rob Tanner. On June 17, he was located and arrested by the LCSO.