Church Hill Continues Robbery Investigation

An arrest has been made in Sunday night’s armed robbery case under investigation by the Church Hill Police Department.

Police officers have been searching for a white male, believed to be in his 20s, who last night robbed the Kenjo Market #14 on Silver Lake Road in Church Hill. The robbery took place about 9:55 p.m. The man who robbed the market was armed with a handgun and left with a very small, but undisclosed, amount of cash. The man left the area on foot, running east between 11W and Main Boulevard.

The suspect being charged is Travis Wayne Gunter, 26, no known address. “We have uncovered additional pieces of evidence in the case linking Gunter to the Kenjo robbery but are unable to elaborate at the present time. Due to multiple factors, he is currently being held without bond,” says a Jan. 19 press release from Church Hill Police.

Church Hill officers have been assisted by the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Department, Surgoinsville Police Department and Mt. Carmel Police Department.

The suspect was arrested by the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office at a relative’s residence on several unrelated charges, including failure to appear and violation of probation in sessions court.

Church Hill police officers are in the process of obtaining additional evidence against the suspect. According to the press release, the police department will issue its warrant either later today or tomorrow morning (Jan. 20) and charge him with the armed robbery at Kenjo Market.
Sunday night’s robbery was Church Hill’s first armed robbery of any type in six and a half years and the first armed robbery of a business in eight and a half years.