Black Robber Arrested for Murder of White Jewelry Store Owner

KETV
September 20, 2014

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James Minshall, Sr was murdered by a Black thief who was robbing his jewelry store.

Omaha police arrested Milton Dortch, 18, Thursday for the robbery of the Bank of the West last Saturday, and the robbery of JR’s Jewelry and Gifts near 72nd and Jones Wednesday morning, and for the murder of store owner James Minshall, Sr.

Dortch was booked for first degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony for the homicide of Minshall.

Dortch is believed to be the man who entered the store, threw a bag on the floor and demanded an employee to fill it.

Sometime during that encounter, the robber opened fire on Minshall, Sr.

Dortch was wounded in a shooting in June near 48th and Pratt.

His mother contacted KETV NewsWatch 7 early Wednesday saying she feared her son was involved in the jewelry store robbery. She said she thinks her son also robbed an Omaha bank over the last week.

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Milton Dortch has been arrested for the slaying.

Saturday, a black teenager wearing a red hoodie, large dark sunglasses and dark gloves, entered the Bank of the West, near 135th Street and West Maple Road. The man asked an employee about opening a credit card as he took off his sunglasses and displayed a semi-automatic handgun telling him “Get the —- back, I’m going to rob this bank.”

Surveillance video shows the suspect pointed the weapon at the teller and screaming. The suspect left on foot, leaving a 1989 Oldsmobile at the location, which was later found to be stolen and had a broken column.

The surveillance video of the robbery was released on Crime Stoppers and several tips were sent to Omaha Crime Stoppers stating that the suspect was Dortch.

Officers completed a photographic lineup with the suspect and Dortch was positively identified by the bank employees.

“I offer my sympathies to the Minshall family,” said Mayor Jean Stothert. “The Omaha Police Department’s partnership with the community was instrumental in solving this case. I appreciate the rapid and professional police response to this investigation. Our city is saddened by this senseless crime and the public should know that the Omaha Police Department has an extremely high success rate in solving homicides.”