Pickerington Murder Mystery Night - Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce, OH

FIRST CLUE/RIDDLE to SOLVE

I have branches, but no fruit, trunk, or leaves. What am I?
Hint: Richard C. Williamson might know the answer... (Stumped? Scroll to bottom to see answer).

True Crime in Pickerington

Hey there! Roger Picket here. Remember me? Many of you accused me of murder last year! I told you I didn’t do it. But enough about me… I’m here to tell you about a true crime in Pickerington.

Pickerington’s first bank robbery occurred around noon on October 1, 1954, when three armed men entered the Pickerington Bank and forced the employees into the vault. The fourth man—a get-away driver—waited at the wheel of a Chrysler sedan parked in the rear alley. In 10 minutes, the robbers stole $17,720.10. In their haste, they overlooked a $7,300 deposit from the Creamery that was sitting on the counter.

Joseph Sanders, John W. Lane, and Richard C. Williamson were caught, and in May 1956 they were given long sentences in a federal prison. Newspaper articles from that time never identify the fourth man, and he was never charged.

Most of the money was never recovered. I’d sure like a piece of that action…

Yesterday, “journalist” Newt Caster from the Central Ohio Gazette was sent an anonymous deathbed confession, allegedly from the unknown fourth man involved in the robbery. A copy is pictured below (Newt says the envelope had been opened and the postscript was mysteriously blacked out when he received the letter). Apparently, there’s at least one bank bag full of money hidden somewhere in Pickerington. Hear more from Pickerington Police Chief Cheney and local Picktown Perps Podcaster, Trés Vain, in the live video report below.

Register a team to participate in the Murder Mystery Night on Aug. 2 ($75 for team of four/$20 additional participants). Teams who register by July 14 will receive detective kits and swag bags for each member. Register later, supplies may vary. You must preregister.

Introducing some "persons of interest" when it comes to the shady activity happening in Olde Pickerington Village. People are getting ruthless while trying to find the hidden loot from the 1954 Pickerington Bank robbery. Landon Holmes from Quality Yard and Home Maintenance and Ronnie Pepper (a.k.a. the Pepperoni Prince) from Cardo's Pizza & Tavern are top-of-the-list troublemakers! Paul E. Sees from Central Ohio Insurance Services and Poly Tix from Initiative Consulting are giving them a run for their money... literally.