Bank employee accused of giving signal to suspects before violent robbery outside bank

HOUSTON -- (KIAH) -- A bank employee charged for her alleged role in a violent robbery of a couple, which was caught on video, appeared in a Harris County courtroom Wednesday.

Shelby Wyse, 25, has been charged with aggravated robbery using a deadly weapon, a felony offense. Her bond was set at $75,000. Wyse, who has no previous criminal history, is the third person arrested in connection to the robbery and beating of two Wallis State Bank customers on Aug.17.

Wyse, an employee of the bank, was working at the branch on FM 1960 West when a woman came in and withdrew $75,000 for her family's check cashing business, according to investigators.

"Surveillance video was obtained from the bank clearly showing this defendant watching the complainant conduct her withdraw transaction, immediately after sending a text message, presumably a 'Go' signal," the prosecutor said.

Wyse allegedly sent that message to her boyfriend and co-defendant, Travonn Johnson, 27. Detectives have reportedly found numerous text messages between Wyse and Johnson discussing the robbery on her phone.

Police said the victims were returning to their business when they were ambushed by suspects riding in a black Chrysler 300. The vehicle is a Budget rental car that was traced back to Wyse, prosecutors said.

The husband was close behind his wife and tried to fight off the attackers, but the couple was beaten up and the wife was run over with the rental vehicle in the process.

The first suspect, Davis Dowell Mitchell, 32, was arrested shortly afterward by a deputy who also recovered the stolen cash. On Monday, Johnson surrendered himself to authorities. Both men are charged with aggravated robbery using a deadly weapon.

The sheriff's office confirmed investigators are still searching for a fourth suspect.