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The Early Police Department made an arrest in connection to the May 30th beating of a man with a baseball bat and robbery in a local hotel.
Joseph Franklin Merrbaugh, 27, and Rebecca Kay Balfour, 23, were both booked into the Brown County Jail overnight on charges of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Merrbaugh was located in Breckenridge, Texas and arrested while Balfour was taken into custody in Brown County according to police.
Early Police Chief David Mercer reported that a man and a woman rented a room from a motel in Early last weekend and then went to a restaurant in Brownwood where the man gave the waitress a key card for their room. At approximately 2am on May 30th, a short time after the victim and his girlfriend returned to their room, the door opened and a male entered the room with a baseball bat and began beating the male victim. According to Mercer, the suspect then took both victims’ money and cell phones, along with some other items, and fled the scene.
Early detectives worked closely with the Breckenridge Police Department in gathering evidence and locating the suspects. On Thursday, Sgt Shawn Dibrell and Officer Johnny Brown of the Early PD obtained the arrest warrants from Justice of the Peace Bryan Thompson. The officers then met with Breckenridge PD Officers and served the warrant on Joseph Merrbaugh, according to Mercer.
Officials state that the officers also took additional witness statements and located some evidence including the bat that was used and bloody clothing. Officers received information on where Rebecca Balfour was staying in Brown County. They contacted BCSO Deputy Benson who located Balfour and placed her under arrest.
Joseph Merrbaugh was brought back to the Brown County jail late last night by the Early Police Department officers. Both suspects are being held on $125,000 bonds each.
