Third suspect caught in pair of Bend motel robberies

(Update: Third robbery suspect caught; two tied to both Bend holdups)

Bend police arrested a third suspect Wednesday afternoon in Monday’s armed robbery of the Super 8 Motel — hours after warning the public about the “armed and dangerous” man — and also tied him and one other suspect to the holdup of the Days Inn and Suites early Sunday.

Around 3 p.m., detectives were able to determine where Ryan Donovan Simpson, 33, was staying and contacted him in a car during a traffic stop in the parking lot of the Motel West in Northeast Irving Avenue, Lt. Clint Burleigh said.

Simpson was arrested on charges of first-degree robbery and second-degree theft in the Super 8 holdup.

Based on information obtained from Simpson’s arrest and the three-day investigation, detectives got a search warrant to raid a southeast Bend home, Burleigh said. They found enough evidence to tie Simpson and Scott Sullivan to both of the motel robberies, he added.

Simpson was taken to the Deschutes County Jail and faces the robbery and theft charges in both crimes. Sullivan also will face added charges in the Days Inn holdup, Burleigh said.

Simpson was held without bail on a parole violation. His other charges included unlawful entry into a motor vehicle, second-degree criminal trespass and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Online court records show criminal charges dating back 15 years in Crook and Deschutes counties, from burglary to theft and ID theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and menacing. His most recent arrest was in May 2016 and led to a February 2017 sentencing on aggravated ID theft to 30 months in state prison, with credit for time served, and two years post-prison supervision.

The third Super 8 holdup suspect, Jason Lee House, 36, was found and arrested without incident near his southeast Bend home on Tuesday afternoon.He was taken to the jail and lodged on charges of first-degree robbery and criminal conspiracy, Burleigh said.

Burleigh said the quick arrests were aided by a few tips from the public, but “mostly great police work … a lot of dedicated police officers working long hours the last three days.”

Prosecutors’ preliminary charging document, called an “information,” listed both suspects – House and Scott Hilton Sullivan, 32, arrested earlier Tuesday – and both were charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree theft. Court records showed House had been charged with no previous serious crimes in Oregon.

Police also were able on Tuesday to identify the first suspect in Monday’s robbery as Sullivan, 32, with help from Prineville police and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Jail and Parole and Probation departments, Burleigh said.

Bend detectives found Sullivan in a vehicle parked early Tuesday in front of the Rooster Deli on Northeast Bellevue Drive, Burleigh said. Sullivan was taken to jail on charges of first-degree robbery and second-degree theft. He also was held without bail on a parole violation warrant and made his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

Detectives recovered items used in the robbery from Sullivan, Burleigh said. The investigation also led detectives to the Shilo Inn Hotel, where they executed a search warrant in a room and found more evidence related to the Super 8 robbery.

Sullivan has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2005, online court records showed, including drug possession, burglary, theft and robbery, as well as possession of prohibited firearms.

In the most recent case, in June of last year, he pleaded guilty to heroin possession and a charge of felon in possession of a restricted weapon was dismissed. He was sentenced to 30 days in state Department of Corrections custody and a year of post-prison supervision.

Two people in dark clothing and masks – one with a gun – robbed the Super 8 early Monday and eluded a police search. Police released surveillance images of the two suspects entering the motel.

Police were notified at 4:30 a.m. Monday of the robbery that had just occurred at the Super 8 Motel at 1275 Southeast Third Street, Burleigh said.

Police determined there were at least two people responsible for the robbery, both wearing dark clothing, including a dark bandana and dark jeans. One was described as a male in his 30s and the other of similar age and unknown gender.

One of the pair displayed a dark-colored handgun and took an undisclosed amount of cash, Burleigh said. They also took the female employee’s “personal property” as they left, Burleigh said, declining to be more specific in the news release.

Bend police and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, including Bend Officer Kevin Uballez and his K-9 partner, Kim, searched the area, without success., Burleigh said.

Five images from video surveillance footage were released, to help the public in efforts to identify and locate the two suspects.

Early Sunday morning, shortly before 5:30 a.m., the Days Inn motel at 849 Northeast Third Street was robbed by a man with a handgun who took an undisclosed amount of cash from the front desk, police said.

A search, including two police dogs, did not find the suspect. He was described as a white male adult in his 20s or 30s, 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-7, with a stocky build, wearing dark pants, a dark “hoodie” sweatshirt and facial covering.