FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 2, 2014
Released by Lt. Tim Schmidt, Contact at 714-497-6360
Subject: Three suspects arrested in Carjacking and Robbery – New Years Eve
On December 31st, 2013, around 9:00pm, the victim went on-line and arranged to have a New Years Eve date using an on-line dating service. The victim and suspect Alexis Songbryd, age 20, communicated via cell phone and text messaging to meet in Anaheim. When the victim arrived in the 800 block of S. Cornwall Drive to meet Songbryd, he was confronted and assaulted by suspects DeJohn Mitchell, age 20, and Donnis Grimes, age 21.
Mitchell and Grimes assaulted the victim with a knife and simulated a handgun. They forced the victim to drive them to several ATM’s in Anaheim and forced the victim to withdraw money. Suspects Mitchell and Grimes eventually forced the victim out of his own vehicle and drove away leaving him on the street. The suspects beat the victim severely, breaking his nose and several facial bones. The victim was taken to Western Medical Center in Anaheim where he was admitted and treated for his injuries.
Robbery and Crime Task Force (CTF) Detectives immediately went to work on the case and were able to identify Mitchell, Grimes, and Songbryd as the suspects responsible for the carjacking and robbery. Yesterday afternoon, the vehicle taken in the carjacking was recovered in Westminster and all three suspects were arrested. The suspects were booked into the Anaheim Police Department’s Detention Facility and are each being held on $1 million dollar bail. They are set to be arraigned Friday, January 3rd at the North Orange County Justice Center in Fullerton.
The Detectives believe Mitchell, Grimes, and Songbryd have committed this type of crime before, and are asking for anyone with additional information or anyone who might have been a victim and who has not reported it to contact the Anaheim Police Department. Robbery Detail Sergeant Rich La Rochelle can be reached at 714-765-1528 or rlarochelle@anaheim.net.
Below are photographs of Alexis Songbryd, DeJohn Mitchell and Donnis Grimes.
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PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
425 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 765-1521 Fax: (714) 765-1554
Raul Quezada, Interim Chief of Police