Police: Woman Pointed Gun to Robbery Victim's Head

A fight between a robber and one of his intended victims came to an abrupt end on Jan. 12, when the robber's girlfriend allegedly pointed a gun to the victim's head and threatened to shoot him, police said.

Two Eagan residents, Michelle Julie Larson and Lloyd Valerian Howard, each face a single first-degree aggravated robbery charge in connection to the incident, which took place in South St. Paul. A single aggravated robbery charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.

Eagan police say the tussle began after Howard, who was visiting the victims' home with Larson, allegedly grabbed a Gucci wristlet containing $450 cash and two full bottles of prescription Xanax and Percocet from a table. As Howard and Larson ran to the door, one of the victims held onto Howard's shirt. Another male victim came to help, and both he and Howard allegedly fell onto a sidewalk just outside the house.

As they were rolling around on the sidewalk a "skinny black gun" fell out of Howard's possession, a witness to the fight told police. Police say Larson picked up the gun, pointed it at the male victim's head and threatened to "blow your head off," at which point the male victim let Howard go. Both robbers fled in a pearl-colored Escalade, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Dakota County Attorney's office.

Police recovered a cell phone from the scene, which led them to Larson and Howard. Multiple witnesses to the fight also picked Howard and Larson out of a photographic line-up, the complaint said.

Prairie Island Reservation police located the suspects' vehicle at Larson's residence in Welch, and arrested both of them. Officers also executed a search warrant for the home, where they allegedly recovered a .22 caliber Ruger long barrel gun that a witness confirmed had been used in the robbery.

Both Larson, 38, and Howard, 27, told police they were at the victims' residence to "buy food stamps," according to the complaint.

Howard was convicted earlier this year on charges of giving a peace officer a false name.