88-year-old woman carjacked in Walmart parking lot in Michigan, suspects arrested

Posted: 9:48 AM, Sep 19, 2018
Updated: 2018-09-20 01:30:23-04
88 y.o. woman carjacked in Walmart parking lot
88 y.o. woman carjacked in Walmart parking lot

LIVONIA, Mich. - Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly carjacking an 88-year-old woman in Livonia, Mich.

The victim was shopping at a Walmart on Tuesday, police say. Two suspects approached her while she was at her car.

The male suspect, a 38-year-old Sterling Heights, Mich. man, walked up to the victim from behind and grabbed her purse. The 88-year-old woman struggled to keep her purse and tried to beat the man with her cane.

“I tried to turn around and smack him with my cane because I always said if anybody bothered me I’d use my cane,” said Gloria Kevelighan. 

Police say the male suspect punched the victim in the head, threw her to the ground and got into her vehicle. The man's accomplice, a 41-year-old Lincoln Park woman, jumped into the passenger side and the pair sped off, nearly running over the victim who was still on the ground.

“Took off in my car just like that,” Kevelighan said. “I’d kill that son of a b----. I know you can’t put that on there, I would. The way he pushed me and everything.”

Officers say the suspects left evidence behind that helped police track them down and take them into custody.

“I went to bed last night and I cried for a half hour," Kevelighan said. "I always hear it happening to others but you’d never think it’s going to happen to you. Especially if they got grey hair and you’re old. That seems to be who they want to pick on.”

The following day, Kevelighan said she was achy and sore from the encounter. 

Her purse and car have since been recovered, according to Livonia officers.