On May 26, 2014, just before 12 noon, Yavapai County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to a property on Ghost Town Road in Congress, Arizona, regarding a robbery. The 60-year-old male victim explained that Russell Weimorts, 43, just robbed him at gunpoint inside his motorhome.
The victim had befriended Weimorts a few days earlier at a Congress area store. Weimorts told the victim he needed a place to stay and the victim permitted him to camp out near his motor home on Ghost Town Road.
During the past couple of days, the victim allowed Weimorts to earn some money by making repairs on his motorhome. Then, during the early morning hours of May 26, 2014, the victim allowed Weimorts to borrow his Honda scooter for a trip to the local grocery store. Weimorts left and the victim went back to sleep but was awakened later that morning by Weimorts who was pointing a pistol, one his own, at his face. Weimorts tied up the victim with extension cords and demanded money. After Weimorts took some cash and left, the victim was able to grab his cell phone and call 911 to report a robbery. While he was on the phone, Weimorts re-entered the motor home and dispatchers heard a scuffle before the phone line was disconnected.
The victim explained that at this time, Weimorts became upset with the victim for loosening the restraints and now “hog-tied” him by restraining his hands and feet together from the back. Weimorts then placed the barrel of a gun in the victim’s ear and pulled the trigger twice. Fortunately, the gun did not fire. Weimorts became even more aggravated, pulled the gun away, and then fired a round into a computer next to the victim’s head.
Weimorts waited for a few minutes to see if law enforcement was in the area. He then decided to take the victim’s scooter, along with 2 additional handguns and ammunition belonging to the victim, and flee.
Deputies arrived within 5 minutes, obtained suspect information from the victim, and arranged transportation to the Wickenburg Medical Center.
Due to the nature of the incident and knowledge the suspect was armed, YCSO SWAT was deployed to search for the suspect. SWAT deputies located the victim’s scooter a short distance away and it appeared the suspect had crashed riding the scooter and was now on foot. SWAT deputies began tracking the suspect’s movements and found the victim’s backpack, guns, ammo, along with some blood indicating a likelihood the suspect had been injured in the scooter crash. Continued tracking led the SWAT team to the underside of a railroad bridge where Weimorts was hiding and he was arrested without incident.
Weimorts was found with an apparent compound fracture to his left arm. He was transported in custody to a Phoenix area hospital for treatment and is pending booking at the Camp Verde Detention Center on numerous charges including Attempted Murder- 2nd degree, Kidnapping to place in Imminent Danger, and Robbery. Weimorts was on active probation his bond is set at $150,000.