Just out of prison, man accused in 4 Henderson robberies

By Mary Manning

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009 | 4:38 p.m.

A 50-year-old Las Vegas man recently released from prison is in a Henderson jail cell today accused of robbing four businesses at gunpoint over a two-week period.

Bill Ray Freeman was arrested Tuesday on robbery with a deadly weapon and burglary charges in connection with the robberies, Henderson Police said.

Henderson Police officers and detectives had been searching for Freeman since the first robbery in Henderson on Sept. 20 at a vitamin store on Eastern Avenue, police spokesman Keith Paul said.

The next robbery occurred Sept. 26 at a health store on Horizon Ridge Parkway, followed by the robbery of a Hallmark store on Green Valley Parkway on Sept. 27 and a Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Sunset Road on Saturday.

Each time the man's description was the same.

Detectives found what they believed to be the getaway car used in the robberies at an apartment complex Tuesday in Las Vegas. The detectives watched the vehicle and waited for its driver to return. He matched the description from the robbery accounts and was later identified as Freeman, Paul said.

Freeman had been released on parole Aug. 3. He had been sentenced to 10 years in prison on possession of a stolen vehicle and burglary convictions.