ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The FBI says Richard Leon Wilbern had been on their radar early in this investigation that goes back 13 years and it was a stroke of luck that led to his arrest.
Wilbern was arraigned Tuesday in Federal Court for his role in the 2003 robbery and shooting at the Xerox Federal Credit Union that killed 51-year-old Raymond Batzel and wounded 28-year-old Joseph Doud.
Federal agents say Wilbern is alleged to have walked into the Credit Union the morning of August 13, 2003 disguised as an FBI agent. Wilbern allegedly told employees he was conducting a security assessment and a staged robbery. He then allegedly pulled out two guns robbing the Credit Union of more than $10,000. He's then accused of shooting Batzel in the neck causing his death. Doud was shot in the back trying to flee.
In March, law enforcement asked for the public's help in solving this crime. Billboards went up throughout western New York showing the suspect. That led to a concerned citizen coming forward.
"He had seen Mr. Wilbern at some point prior to the robbery wearing what appeared to be an FBI raid jacket as detailed in the complaint," said Adam Cohen, FBI Special Agent in Charge. "We know that Mr. Wilbern and you can see it in the pictures at the time walked into that credit union wearing an FBI type raid jacket. That was very significant for us. He also advised us that Mr. Wilburn had been a Xerox employee and had been fired from Xerox and was at that point a disgruntled former employee who had filed some sort of lawsuit and lost that lawsuit against Xerox."
The FBI says the person providing the information will receive reward money from the FBI and Xerox. Beginning in July of last year, Wilbern contacted the FBI on five different occasions through April of this year with complaints of a real estate scam. That led to three meetings with federal agents, the last coming Tuesday when he was arrested. Having observed Wilbern licking an envelope, agents secured that envelope and tested it for DNA which matched that from an umbrella the suspect left at the crime scene.
"It's not everyday you have somebody you're looking for and that you're starting to do an investigation of who calls you and says they want to come in and talk to you about something completely different," Cohen said. "It was a great opportunity, we took advantage of that opportunity and it resulted in what you heard all about today."
Although this was a collaborative effort between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, Webster police say a change in investigators shed some new light on this case.
Chief Joe Rieger says his department has had some turnover among investigators in the 13 years since this crime took place. He believes fresh sets of eyes gave new insight to the investigation.
"When the incident occurs it's a hectic time, a lot of things coming in," Rieger said. "13 years there's time to slow things down, but even as an investigator looking at it originally somebody else may be looking at it and may see something different. I think it was a great effort between law enforcement agencies and I'm just we could bring some closure to the family."
If convicted, Wilbern faces life in prison. He could also receive the death penalty.
"There's certain criminal offenses identified, bank robbery being one, if and during the course and in furtherance of the crime murder ensues it's potentially a sentence, but it is the decision of the United States Attorney General and if and when that decision is made there would be additional notifications made the defendant and certainly to court, but at this point that is not in play because he has not been officially noticed that the government is seeking the death penalty," U.S. Attorney William Hochul said.
Wilbern returns to court October 12th for a bail hearing. Hochul says more evidence will be revealed then.