FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 10, 2017
COVINGTON—District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports that a St. Tammany Parish jury convicted Elliott W. Galloway, 43, of Pearl River, of two counts of first degree robbery and one count of attempted simple robbery for a crime spree he committed in April. Galloway, a multiple offender, faces 40 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 14 by District Judge Peter Garcia.
The first crime occurred at the Purple Cow convenience store and gas station just after midnight on April 15 this year, when Galloway entered the store and demanded money from the cash register, while placing his hand in his sweatshirt. Fearing he had a gun, the clerk handed over the money and, after Galloway fled, called 9-1-1.
Later that morning, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office received a report that a suspect, later identified in a lineup as Galloway, had attempted to rob the RaceTrac convenience store and gas station between 4 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. Witnesses described the suspect and the car he was driving, and while searching for the vehicle, officers got a call about a third robbery at the Circle K in Slidell.
The Circle K robbery occurred about 4:19 a.m., when Galloway approached the counter, ordered the clerk to give him all the money in the register or he would start killing people. As the clerk put the money in a bag, Galloway ordered her not to call the police right away, put his hand in his pocket, and threatened her again. Deputies later arrested Galloway, slouched in the seat of a car matching the description provided by victims. His door was open, he was parked near another gas station, and he actively resisted as officers tried to arrest him. A pocket knife was recovered from the seat of the car.
The Pearl River Police Department, Slidell Police Department, and St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office all participated in the investigation.
In unusual testimony during the trial, Galloway admitted to the robberies and to threatening to kill the clerk, but he claimed he never implied he had a gun. He also said he’d spent 17 years of his life in jail. Galloway’s prior convictions include first degree robbery in 1997, obscenity in 2003, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in 2009, methamphetamine possession in 2009, heroin possession in 2010, aggravated assault in 2016, as well as a hit and run and two prior convictions for driving while intoxicated. Galloway blamed his drug and alcohol use for his troubles and said he would live longer in prison.
The jury deliberated for an hour, including a lunch break, before returning the guilty verdict. Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Authement prosecuted the case.