Store Clerk Speaks Out About Violent Robbery

Friday, June 16th 2006, 3:58 pm

By: News On 6

A Tulsa store clerk is thankful tonight, now that the man she says nearly killed her in a robbery is behind bars. When it happened the mother of five thought she might never see her children again. Now she's back at work and talked to the News on Six's Heather Lewin about her ordeal.

Ladonna: "I was just trying to focus on trying to stay alive."

LaDonna asked us to help protect her identity, she's still shaken up from the violent attack. She says the man came in to J&J's around 10 am and asked about putting something on layaway. While she was on the phone with another customer she turned away and it happened.

Ladonna: "He hit me. And I fell."

The robber bashed LaDonna in the head with a hammer and ordered her to open the register. She says only one thing went through her mind.

Ladonna: "My family, my kids...What would they do if I was gone."

Ladonna says even though she cooperated he raised the hammer to hit her again.

Ladonna: "But I put my hands up and I begged him not to. I said I have five kids at home and I've gotta be there."

She thinks that's what saved her life. LaDonna says after he hit her, the robber forced her into this bathroom, where you can still see her blood on the wall. He made her sit down in this chair, tied her up, then gave her a terrifying warning."

Ladonna: "He threatened to kill me, he said if I told he'd come back here."

When he left she managed to untie herself and call police. Detecives made an arrest Thursday night. 53-year old Billy Marshall. Now she knows his name, she says she'll never forget his face. LaDonna wanted to be sure it was the right guy. She saw him on tv.

Ladonna: "And I just started crying, I said that's him. Thank God, now he can't hurt anyone else." Heather Lewin, the News on 6.