Media attention helps solve robbery

After the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance images to Historic City News and other media representatives yesterday, a woman who was being sought as a witness to an attempted carjacking came forward and identified herself to detectives.

Using the information learned, 22-year-old Ryan Shayne McSwain, who lives at 240 Whispering Woods Lane, Apt 7, in St Augustine, was located at his residence and was brought in for questioning.

The victim was able to identify McSwain from a photo-lineup. She said that he was the man who claimed to be an escaped prisoner and then attempted to steal her car from the Kangaroo convenience store on SR-16.

McSwain was booked into the County Jail where he remains in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Extensive publication of the surveillance photos from the store was credited with identifying the suspect according to investigators.