ELKHART — A third suspect has been charged in a deadly robbery plot carried out shortly before Thanksgiving.
Sami Hussen, 38, is charged with the murder of Toby Ray Fisher on Nov. 26. Police found the 32-year-old Elkhart man suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck outside River Run Apartments, where he soon died from his injuries.
Ashley Seabolt, 41, and Stephonn Sutton, 36, were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident, which investigators believe was a drug deal and robbery which turned fatal. Police say Seabolt and Fisher had arranged the plan ahead of time, to rob Hussen and another woman of the drugs they were selling and to take other valuables from them.
Hussen was booked in the Elkhart County Correctional Facility without bond. His initial court hearing is set for Thursday.
According to court documents:
The Elkhart County Homicide Unit reviewed security footage and talked to witnesses in the weeks following Fisher’s death. Police were given Seabolt as a suspect early in the investigation and were soon lead to other individuals who were allegedly present during the shooting.
Investigators believe Fisher, Sutton, Hussen and the other woman were in a vehicle in the parking lot when Fisher pulled out a gun and grabbed the methamphetamine that was being sold. Fisher allegedly demanded the woman’s purse and money from Hussen and threatened to shoot them.
The woman told investigators that she heard gunshots and saw Sutton leaving with her purse. She and Hussen then drove off in their vehicle.
She allegedly told police that Hussen said he wasn’t sure if he shot Fisher or not, but she later learned from Seabolt that Fisher had died. She claimed that Hussen acted in self-defense.
Police say they found messages on Fisher’s phone between him and Seabolt arranging the drug deal earlier that day. Seabolt also allegedly gave him detailed instructions on how to commit the robbery, instructing him to tell Hussen and the woman to empty out their pockets and to take the purse and phones from them.
Investigators say Seabolt, Hussen and the other woman had driven to Michigan to pick up Fisher and Sutton, then returned to Elkhart. Seabolt allegedly confirmed that she set up the drug deal, but claimed that she got out of the vehicle to get cash from an apartment and heard gunshots when she came back out, so she ran.