Columbia man seeking justice after employees arrested for first-degree robbery
MEXICO, Mo. (KMIZ.)
A man given clemency by Gov. Mike Parson two years ago is searching for justice after his two employees were arrested for allegedly robbing a store in Mexico.
On Wednesday, an Audrain County prosecutor charged Marjorie McDonald and Biagio Davenport with first-degree robbery.
Dimetrious Woods, owner of "Essentialz" bodega store describes the incident as a nightmare and says he's working day in and day out to get his employees out of jail and back to their children.
"I don't care what it takes I just want to get these children to their parents and that's my responsibility," said Woods.
It was a tense day for McDonald and Biagio Davenport who were sent by their boss, Woods, to grab a few of his belongings at Essentialz in Mexico on Tuesday.
People may remember Woods after he had his sentence commuted by Gov. Parson back in 2020 after a drug charge had been overturned in the courts. Woods's demonstration through business and fatherhood pushed Parson to commute his sentence.
Woods is now the owner of Essentialz in Mexico and Columbia and says he had a business dispute with the workers at the Mexico store. Woods says he was shocked when he learned what happened after sending his two employees to grab items he says he owned.
According to Mexico police, McDonald tried to take money from a cash register from the business and hit a person who was trying to stop her. Davenport then allegedly pulled out a gun to try and help her. Mcdonald was on the phone with Woods at the time.
"I heard her, what seemed to get smacked and the phone hit the ground," said Woods.
Now Woods is fighting to free his employees which is a fight within itself.
"To be the responsible person and to have a female, a male, father, a mother involved in this system that I'm sure when the facts clear out... everything will be clear but it will never be for the catastrophic effect of these families of these young children," said Woods.
According to Woods, he called and spoke with joint communication before the two got there to ensure that everything was done peacefully. He also claims Davenport and McDonald were the ones who contacted the police.
