Palm print recovered, leads to indictment in 2016 shooting, armed robbery in Macon.
For years, investigators had been unable to charge someone with a 2016 armed robbery at a convenience store in Macon. But the recovery of a palm print has changed that, court records from last week show.
Robert Lewis Tuff Jr. was indicted Oct. 15 of robbing L&C Convenience Store and shooting Brijeshkumar Patel on July 28, 2016. He faces one count of armed robbery, one count of aggravated assault and one count of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to the indictment.
The statute of limitations for the case was tolled from the date of the incident until March 20, 2025, when Tuff’s palm print was recovered from the scene and identified through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, the indictment said. It is unclear how much money he took from the store.
Though the statute of limitations for armed robberies is typically seven years, it does not apply when DNA evidence is used to establish the identity of the accused, according to Georgia Code.
If convicted, he could face a life sentence or 10 to 20 years of prison, according to state law.
An indictment is only an allegation, and Tuff still will face a trial, where he can argue his case.
