Glendale’s Community Newspaper
Vol. 76 No. 47
INSIDE
This Week
www.glendalestar.com
Alleged serial bank robber caught BY TOM SCANLON
Glendale Star Managing Editor
NEWS...............7 Plea deal for wife of accused roommate killer
NEWS...............8 Lekso quarantines after COVID-19 exposure
A resident of a Glendale halfway house who allegedly robbed banks from Peoria to Avondale told police he needed money to fuel his drug habit. William Cantrell, 29, faces various robbery and burglary charges. “Don’t press the alarm or you’ll make me do something,” he allegedly told a teller. Cantrell, who worked at an Albertsons distribution facility in Tolleson, is accused of robbing or attempting to rob a string of West Valley banks from Sept. 18 to Nov. 4: • U.S. Bank, 6611 W. Bell Road, Glendale. • U.S. Bank, 12320 N. 83rd Avenue, Peoria. • Alaska Federal Credit Union, 1575 N. Dysart Road, Avondale. • U.S. Bank, 12970 W. Indian School Road, Litchfield Park. He allegedly targeted banks in grocery stores,
OPINION..................... 12 BUSINESS.................. 14 SPORTS ...................... 16 FEATURES.................. 18 RELIGION ................... 22 YOUTH........................ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............. 27
SEE ROBBERIES PAGE 3
William Cantrell, a resident of a Glendale sober-living home, is accused of robbing a string of West Valley banks. He allegedly targeted bank centers in grocery stores, including a U.S. Bank inside a Fry’s in Glendale. (Photo courtesy Maricopa
County Sheriff’s Office)
in this story by her initials, J.S. On Nov. 10, police respondGlendale police officers ared to the Peoria home after his rested Brent Ruggles Nov. 23, brother called 911, stating Brent 2018, in a backyard on West Ruggles “was being violent and Quail Avenue in North Glenthreatening him,” according to dale. The residents said Ruggles court documents. was their daughter’s ex-boyDuring the 911 call, the brothfriend. In the police report, er said he saw Brent Ruggles Ruggles said he stole a bicycle striking the woman with a vodbut came back to return it. ka bottle and heard J.S. crying The daughter told police she and pleading “please stop!” broke up with Ruggles “due to The brother provided domestic violence incidents.” home-security videos to police She also said she told Ruggles At this Peoria home on North 86th Avenue, Brent Ruggles allegedly strangled of Brent Ruggles dragging J.S. beat his girlfriend. Outside the same home, he shot and killed a man in “numerous times not to come to and into a spare bedroom, locking 2012 but was found not guilty of murder. (Glendale Star photo by Tom Scanlon) her residence.” the door and beating her. Two years later, Ruggles is charged home. “You’re dying right now! You’re dying with trying to kill the same woman in a The Glendale Star is not publishing the right now, you hear?” Brent Ruggles alSEE RUGGLES PAGE 4 Peoria home 5 miles from the Glendale name of the victim, who will be identified
Glendale Star Managing Editor
Glendale Glitters lights up Downtown for holidays
in each case passing a “demand note” to a teller, according to the FBI. “The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force would like to thank the Phoenix Police Department for their outstanding work on this case along with Arizona Department of Public Safety, Mesa Police Department, Glendale Police Department, Peoria Police Department, Avondale Police Department and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office,” said an FBI press release. After following him for weeks, detectives arrested Cantrell outside a Mesa bank Nov. 4. According to court records, Cantrell’s string of crimes started Sept. 18 at a U.S. Bank center inside a Fry’s grocery store on Bell Road and 67th Avenue in Glendale. After verbally warning the teller not to press an alarm, he handed a note saying, “All $100s $50s $20s and $10s no dye packs no trackers/ GPS no alarms til gone.”
Glendale woman strangled, beaten BY TOM SCANLON
FEATURES .....18
November 19, 2020