Multi-state investigation leads to arrests in Smiths Station armed robbery
Two men are now behind bars following an armed robbery at a gas station in Smiths Station earlier this year, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded around 10:40 p.m. CST on February 7, 2026, to a reported armed robbery at the Marathon gas station in the 16000 block of U.S. Highway 280 East. Authorities say surveillance video captured two suspects dressed in dark clothing with partially covered faces confronting a store clerk at the register.
Investigators say one suspect was armed with a large knife while the other carried a handgun. The pair demanded money, and the clerk complied before the suspects fled the scene on foot.
During the investigation, authorities identified a vehicle believed to be connected to the robbery in the area at the time. That lead ultimately traced back to a rental car business in Savannah, Georgia, where 32-year-old Waltnay Jamal Whitfield was listed on the rental agreement.
Further surveillance revealed the vehicle had been spotted at Wind Creek Casino in Montgomery just hours before the robbery. With assistance from the Poarch Creek Tribal Police Department, investigators reviewed casino footage and identified two individuals who closely matched the robbery suspects. A warrant for robbery in the first degree was then issued for Whitfield.
WHITFIELD
On March 24, 2026, Whitfield was arrested in Savannah by the United States Marshals Service.
The investigation continued, and on March 25, Lee County investigators traveled to Savannah. Working alongside the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Savannah Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals, they identified a second suspect as 35-year-old Zachary Logan Fox of Nashville, Tennessee.
FOX
Fox was arrested the following day, March 26, at a bus station in Atlanta and also charged with Robbery First Degree.
Both men waived extradition and were transported to the Lee County Detention Center on April 1, 2026. They are currently being held without bond pending an Aniah’s Law hearing.
Authorities are asking anyone with additional information about this case to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 334-749-5651 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867).
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