Police have arrested two individuals accused of carjacking a 73-year-old grandmother following a brutal attack.
Clay County prosecutors charged Esteban Montes Jr., 17 and Stephon Sanders, 18, with first-degree robbery and tampering with a motor vehicle.
According to court documents, the suspects told police they needed a ride to donate plasma so they targeted Janet Wilson when she pulled into the Vivion Oak Apartments Sunday afternoon.
Police said the next day the suspects drove the stolen Chevy Equinox to the Winfield Place Apartments on 11th Street where security cameras captured them dumping the victim's purse.
Detectives circulated those surveillance photos and a school resource officer from Northeast High School recognized the suspects, including Montes Jr.
The 17-year-old's dad, Esteban Montes Sr., told 41 Action News he knows his son has had some problems.
"I'm sorry for what happened because that kid is uncontrollable, he's out of control," Montes Sr. said.
He added Montes Jr. disappeared for a few days and didn't show up until 1 a.m. Tuesday.
"I wasn't going to let him in, but I let him in and I didn't know that he was driving a stolen car or he did [sic] something wrong, but he never spoke to me. He went into the kitchen and then went to bed," Montes Sr. said.
Later that day officers said they caught Montes Jr. unlocking the stolen car at 20th and Olive.
Detectives said he told them, "Sanders had the idea to take the victim's vehicle."
But Sanders' mother, Lashawn Jones, told 41 Action News Thursday she doesn't buy it.
"My son he has never been in any trouble any of this, this is first time doing anything," Jones said.
Both men will make their first court appearances in Liberty on Monday afternoon.
Wilson is expected to survive her injuries, according to family members.
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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com
