MONESSEN, Pa. – More than a year after an armed robbery at a Monessen gas station, police say DNA evidence has led to charges against three men believed to be responsible for the violent heist.
Monessen Police announced this week that James Foster, Quran Overton, and Anthony Powell have been charged in connection with the August 2024 robbery at the Sunoco station on Eastgate Avenue.
Foster and Overton face charges including robbery, theft, simple assault, terroristic threats, and related offenses, while Powell is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Key Points
- Three men charged in a 2024 armed robbery at the Sunoco on Eastgate Avenue.
- DNA evidence and witness interviews linked the suspects to the crime.
- Police say the trio stole cash, cigarettes, and merchandise worth more than $6,000.
Armed robbery captured on surveillance video
According to investigators, two masked men dressed in black entered the Sunoco armed with a long gun and ordered an employee to the ground. The suspects then emptied the register, taking $200 in cash, 27 cartons of cigarettes, 100 packs of cigarettes, and miscellaneous merchandise, totaling about $6,600 in losses and damages.
Surveillance footage showed a silver Cadillac pulling up to the gas station before the suspects entered. In the days that followed, officers from nearby departments pursued a vehicle matching that description in Donora, but the occupants fled on foot.
Evidence recovered from suspect vehicle
Police later obtained a search warrant for the abandoned Cadillac and recovered clothing and other items believed to have been used during the robbery. DNA testing on that evidence, combined with witness interviews, led detectives to identify Foster, Overton, and Powell as suspects.
Charges filed after forensic analysis
After forensic results confirmed the DNA matches, Monessen Police formally filed charges this week, marking the end of a 14-month investigation. The department credited cooperation among regional law enforcement agencies and state forensic labs for solving the case.
All three men are awaiting court appearances in Westmoreland County.
