J.L. Hunter Rountree, age 92, admitted that at approximately 9:55 a.m. on August 12, 2003, he entered the First American Bank, 3409 South 14th Street, in Abilene, Texas, and approached the middle teller station. Rountree was carrying two manila envelopes, one of which had the word "Robbery" written on it in red magic marker. Rountree showed the teller this envelope and handed her the other manila envelope. He instructed the teller to put the money in the envelope. At first, the teller thought Rountree was kidding, and asked, "What do you mean?" Rountree again instructed her to put money in the envelope and told her to "hurry up or you will get hurt." The teller still thought he was joking and asked: "You're kidding?" Rountree again instructed her to put the money in the envelope. The teller looked at another teller, who instructed her to follow Rountree's instructions. The teller then slowly placed $1,999.00 in the envelope, and, after Rountree stated to just seal the envelope and give it to him, handed it to Rountree.
Rountree then exited the bank and got into a 1996 Buick sedan. A bank employee and customers observed Rountree's license plate number as he drove off and reported it, along with a description of Rountree, to police.
Approximately thirty minutes later, an agent of the West Central Texas Interlocal Crime Task Force observed Rountree's sedan traveling on Highway 83/84 near CR 150 heading south, approximately 20 miles south of Abilene. The agent followed the vehicle and radioed for assistance, but during that time, Rountree sped up to 90 miles per hour. The agent stopped Rountree and arrested him. The agent found a plastic HEB grocery bag in Rountree's car with the $1999.00 from the bank in it. The agent asked Rountree for his date of birth and Rountree responded that it didn't matter because he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison. Later, at some point during another interview, Rountree stated that "you caught me - I was stupid." Rountree then admitted that the First American Bank in Abilene was the only bank he had robbed that day.
Rountree was then taken to the bank where four of the five witnesses to the robbery identified him as the person who had robbed the bank. Rountree made a full confession to the bank robbery. Law enforcement officers discovered a red magic marker in Rountree's shirt pocket; clothing that matched that worn by Rountree during the robbery; and a receipt dated the day before the robbery from HEB for a bottle of water and a package of manila envelopes.
[Source: US Department of Justice press release]
