Man jailed on charges related to bank robbery

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Nov. 20, 2002
A Booneville man remained in Lauderdale County jail today on charges connected with the Tuesday robbery of the Citizens National Bank branch on Bonita Lakes Circle.
Meridian police say Howard W. Willis, 49, was jailed on a $50,000 bond.
Detective Deano Harper, spokesman for the Meridian Police Department, said Willis was arrested by local and state law enforcement officers within five minutes of the 12:45 p.m. robbery.
Harper said money, as well as the weapon, were recovered.
The robbery was the second in about a month for Citizens National Bank in Meridian.
On Oct. 16, the Medical Center Branch of Citizens National Bank, on the corner of 23rd Avenue and 11th Street, was robbed by a man who claimed to have an explosive device in a bag.
Harper said the investigation is continuing in that case. He said that case is not related to the Tuesday robbery.