Jacksonville, FL — The man accused of armed robbery at a GATE gas station on Atlantic Blvd. has now been arrested for a similar crime on Merrill Rd. that killed a clerk inside.
WOKV first told you last month that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office had an active warrant out for 20-year-old Jebre Cook. He was caught in an apartment complex on the Arlington Expressway on December 31st.
Initially, Cook was arrested for an armed robbery at a GATE gas station on Atlantic Blvd December 15th. He has now also been arrested for armed robbery and murder relating to the robbery on Merrill Road, which happened only minutes before the Atlantic incident.
In the Merrill Road armed robbery, JSO says Cook entered the store, lingered for a few minutes, and then approached the front counter and pointed a gun at the clerks. He allegedly demanded money and then shot one of the clerks, Martin Hower. The other clerk ultimately complied, and Cook fled the store, according to police.
Hower died after being transported to the hospital.
After JSO asked the public for help locating Cook, WOKV asked if this was connected to the Merrill Road incident. JSO responded “his warrant is for an unrelated robbery”, which turned out to be the case on Atlantic- even though police are now saying the two cases were, in fact, related.
JSO says Cook has admitted to the Merrill Road robbery and murder.
GATE issued a statement thanking JSO for their efforts leading to the arrest.
“We will continue to utilize the full resources of our company to provide any assistance possible to the State Attorney’s Office and to the JSO to ensure that the suspect is fully brought to justice for these despicable and senseless crimes,” says GATE Petroleum Company President John Peyton.
They say Hower was a “beloved” employee.
