More arrests tied to Wilmoth crime spree

Police believe campaign of robbery, intimidation culminated in Feb. 11 shooting

The South County Spotlight, Feb 26, 2010

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The Columbia County Sheriff's Office arrested two people today related to the ongoing criminal investigation stemming from the arrest of Devin Wilmoth on Feb. 11 on charges of robbery and attempted murder.

Arrested were Ezra St. Helen, 23, of Rainier, and Darren Cornwell, 36, of Fairview, Wash.

Investigators believe Wilmoth, 26, of Clatskanie, St. Helen and Cornwell are responsible for a string of violent crimes against numerous individuals in Columbia County, and that there could still be more victims and suspects involved.

"After the arrest of Wilmoth, we began to hear of other crimes that had been occurring and leading up to the events of Feb. 9, when we believe Wilmoth stole Andrew McKinley's pickup at gunpoint and fired several shots at him," the sheriff said in a prepared release. "We now believe the events of Feb. 9 were the last in a series of violent crimes perpetrated against people who the suspects figured would not go to the police."

Information gathered to date has led to the indictments and arrests of the three suspects, and there could be additional crimes and suspects, Dickerson said.

"What we know thus far is that there are three, potentially four events beginning in mid-January where these suspects and possibly others robbed other victims at gunpoint and even fired shots at them, similar to the events we know about on Feb. 9 with our victim, Mr. McKinley," Dickerson said in the release.

Investigators believe Wilmoth, St. Helen and an unknown woman suspect went to a home in rural Columbia County on Jan. 20 and robbed the resident at gunpoint, the release says. The male victim was known to at least one of the suspects, who got away with $1,500. The investigation shows the motive was to take drugs, money and valuables from the victim, who was unconvinced to surrender the cash until Wilmoth fired a shot just past him at point blank range.

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