May 4, 2009
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

INVESTIGATORS SEEK HELP LOCATING PURSE-SNATCHING SUSPECT

Volusia County Sheriff’s investigators are seeking the public’s help in locating a suspect accused of a purse-snatching on Friday that victimized a 68-year-old Deltona woman on an afternoon trip to the grocery store. The victim wasn’t injured during the attack, and the accused getaway driver called authorities minutes after the incident to turn himself in. Investigators are still looking for the main suspect in the robbery, who has been identified as 20-year-old Marty Hogan, Jr. of DeBary.

The mugging occurred shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday, as the victim and her 45-year-old daughter were loading groceries into their vehicle outside of the Freshco Supermarket on Enterprise Road near Orange City. All of a sudden, a man that investigators later were able to identify as Hogan came up to the victim and tugged at her purse from around her shoulder. The victim clutched the purse to try to hold onto it, but the suspect wrestled it from the woman’s grasp and took off running towards a car that was parked near the Long John Silver’s. Hogan jumped into the car and it sped off northbound on Enterprise Road with 25-year-old Thomas Ruiz of Orange City behind the wheel. Less than 10 minutes later, Orange City police found the suspects’ vehicle abandoned along East Graves Avenue with the victim’s purse inside. A short time later, Ruiz called the Orange City Police Department to give himself up and was charged with being a principal to robbery.

Sheriff’s investigators have been unable to find Hogan. On Monday, they obtained an arrest warrant from County Court Judge Peter Marshall charging Hogan with robbery. The warrant calls for the defendant to be held on $25,000 bond. Hogan, who also goes by the first name of Jay, is 5’10” and weighs about 175 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information regarding Hogan’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, toll-free, at (888) 277-TIPS. Resident can also text a tip by texting “TIP231 plus the message” to CRIMES. Tipsters who provide information to Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and can qualify for a reward of up to $1,000. Anyone who prefers to talk directly to a deputy regarding Hogan can call the Sheriff’s Office at (386) 860-7030. However, only callers to Crime Stoppers will qualify for a reward.

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Update: 4:05 p.m.

Marty Hogan, Jr. was taken into custody at approximately 3:45 p.m. today at the Orange City Police Department.