Dothan police say woman used hammer to commit robbery

Police say a Dothan woman used a hammer to rob a convenience store late Wednesday night.

Capt. Steve Parrish, supervisor of the criminal investigation division, said police were called to a robbery of the Murphy Mill convenience store in the 4200 block of Montgomery Highway around 11 p.m. Police arrested Paula Michelle Everett less than 24 hours after the robbery and charged her with felony first-degree robbery.

“She went in the store and demanded money,” Parrish said. “When the clerk questioned it she pulled out a hammer from her waistline.”

According to a police statement and Lt. David Jay, police arrested Everett, 29, around 3 p.m. in Midland City with assistance from the Midland City Police Department and the Dale County Sheriff’s Office.

She didn’t wear a mask and she didn’t carry a gun. Instead, according to video surveillance footage, she wore a pink shirt, gray capri pants and a pair of flip shoes while she carried a hammer.

“Much of the time they do have some sort of mask on to conceal their identity,” Parrish said. “It’s an unusual weapon in this particular case, just because it’s normally a gun or knife, or even a stick or baseball bat on occasion.”

If convicted of the class A felony, Everett faces 10 to 99 years or life in prison. Everett was taken to the Dothan City Jail, and held without bond. She will be transferred to the Houston County Jail at a later date.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen a hammer used in an armed robbery,” Parrish said.