Crime

Spokesman: Husband suspected of pulling trigger; gun, suicide note near bodies

An out-of-state relative called the Sheriff's Office after being unable to reach an elderly marrid couple on the phone, leading to Tuesday night's discovery of an apparent murder-suicide in the home at 141 E. Woodhaven Circle.

ORMOND BEACH -- The recovered bodies of a husband and wife, identified as 73-year-old James Ryals and 74-year-old Joyce Ryals, in their home near Ormond Beach are believed to victims of a murder-suicide with the husband pulling the trigger that killed his wife and then huimself, a Volusia County Sheriff's spokesman said of the overnight murder-suicide.

"Based on evidence at the scene, investigators believe that James Ryals killed his wife and then killed himself,"agency spokesman Gary Davidson said this morning, adding, "The Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office is scheduled to begin the autopsies at 9 a.m."

Calvin Robinson, shown here in a jail mug, is charged with trying to ram a deputy's patrol car and driving under the influence. The deputy was not hurt in the Sunday incident near Ormond Beach.

ORMOND BEACH -- When the Volusia County Sheriff's deputy first saw 34-year-old Calvin Robinson early Sunday morning, the man was quietly slumped over in the driver's seat of his car parked by the gas pumps of a truck stop outside the city limits.

That quickly changed, though, when Robinson suddenly struck the deputy with his car, ran into and damaged the gas pumps, rammed the deputy's patrol vehicle and took off the wrong way on the highway.

Former pro wrestler Mike Graham,  whose real name was Edward Gossett,  was distraught over the suicide of his son at Biketoberfest two years ago, when he, too, took his own life Thursday during the biker rally in Daytona Beach. Graham's wrestling-promoter father killed himself in 1985.

DAYTONA BEACH -- An incident report released by Daytona Beach cops, confirms former pro wrestler Mike Graham, visiting here for Biketoberfest, was found dead "lying face up" on a bed Thursday night in a North Halifax Drive home from an apparent self-inflicted "gunshot wound to the forehead."

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How and why a young man was shot over the weekend at 836 24th Ave., in New Smyrna Beach is sketchy. The location of the 9:14 p.m. shooting is shown at left.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 22-year-old man was being treated over the weekend at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach for non-life threatening injuries suffered when he was shot Saturday night on the beachside.

Here is a written synopsis by Sgt. Christopher Roos of what occurred in the 9:14 p.m. shooting of Samuel D. Stultz at 836 24th Ave.: "Contact was made with the victim and witnesses who were able to provide limited investigative leads. New Smyrna Beach Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and treated the victim. The victim was later taken to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach for non-life threatening injuries."

Daytona Beach police have issued a BOLO (be on the lookout) for a man who robbed the Sunoco gas station, 2501 W. International Speedway Boulevard on Monday afternoon.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Perhaps the winning lottery ticket was not a big enough score for a man who reached into the cash register after the cashier opened the drawer and scooped up the cash before running off just before 4 p.m. Monday from the Sunoco, 2501 W. International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach cops said.

Though there was a brief struggle after the man leaned over the counter and snatched a wad of cash, but the cashier was not hurt. Cops don't know how much cash he got away with.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A 42-year-old  man was arrested on drug charges Friday after he was stopped in the 300 block of the North Causeway and a meth lab was found in the back seat of his vehicle, New Smyrna Beach cops said.

Alexis Calderon, 33, shown at left, is charged with attempted murder in Tuesday night's alleged stabbing of Ronld Willsey, 64, in the 800 block of Downing Street.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- An elderly man who had a knife plunged into his chest during an argument with a younger man overnight in the middle of the road in the 800 block of Downing Street survived and was in stable condition this morning at Halifax Hospital, NewSmyrna Beach police said.

The alleged stabber, Ronald Aexis Calderon, 33, was apprehended a short time later and was being held without bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on a charge of attempted murder. The victim, 64-year-old Ronald Willsey, was initially listed as a trauma patient when he was transported by ambulance in the 8:50 p.m. Tuesday attack.

New Smyrna Beach police are looking for a gunman who robbed a woman of her cash early Sunday.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 26-year-old woman was robbed by a man armed with a handgun who point it at her and demanded money as she was getting out of her car in the 200 block of Chisholm Street just after 2 this morning, police said.

Shawnetrae Leshaun Williams gave the gunman, described as black and of medium height and weight, an undisclosed amount of cash before he ran off. She was not physically hurt in the incident.

Here is a synopsis of what New Smyrna Beach Police Sgt. Christopher Roos put in his report: "Officers responded to 210 Chisholm Street in reference to an armed robbery. Contact was made with the female victim who advised an unknown male approached her as she was getting out of her vehicle and pointed a gun at her. Suspect fled the scene northbound on foot with an undetermined amount of money. The victim was not injured during the incident. Limited suspect information was obtained."

The 100 block of Howard Avenue in greater New Smyrna Beach was the scene of an armed home invasion Saturday night.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Volusia County Sheriff's deputies were investigating an apparent drug-related armed home invasion Saturday night in the 100 block of Howard Avenue, just outside the city limits.

After barging into the residence, one of two occupants inside suffered a slight head injury in a scuffle before the five young intruders, described only as black and between the ages of 18 to 21, ran off.

At least one of the intruders had a handgun, though no shots were fired. The injured resident, who may have known his attackers, was treated on scene by paramedics shortly after the 9 p.m. incident, said Sheriff's Sgt. Corey Piser from the dispatch center early this morning. 

Freddie Lee Giddemns Jr. of Palm Coast will  spend the next 25 years in prison for a brutal prescription drug robbery of an Ormond Beach pharmacy last September. The minimum-mandatory sentence handed down would keep him behind bars until the age of 57.

DAYTONA BEACH -- A 32-year-old Palm Coast man convicted at trial in May of sticking a gun in the face of a phamacy tech in Ormond Beach for painkillers and other prescription drugs was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison that requires him to serve a mandatory minimum of 25 years behind bars.