Suspect in Lacey, Tumwater bank robberies turns himself in, pleads not guilty

The 24-year-old suspect in two local bank robberies this month pleaded not guilty in court Friday.

Gavin T. River is accused of robbing a KeyBank branch in Tumwater on March 9 and a Timberland Bank branch in Lacey on March 12. He turned himself in to Olympia police on Thursday and was booked into the Thurston County jail on a warrant for first-degree robbery.

River appeared in Thurston County Superior Court on Friday, where his court-appointed lawyer entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Thurston County Superior Court Commissioner Nathan Kortokrax set bail at $50,000.

“There is significant concern given the nature of the allegations before the court for community safety,” said Kortokrax, who also ordered River stay away from the two banks involved.

According to court documents, a man entered the KeyBank on the afternoon of March 9 and gave the teller a note that read “I have a gun. I need your $100s, $50s, and $20s.” Three days later, a man passed a similar note to a teller at the Timberland branch.

Police released surveillance photos from the robberies and at least three people who know River said it was him in the photos, according to court documents.

Another man told police he was with River in Tumwater on the afternoon of March 9 and let River use his car to go to the store. River returned about 30 minutes later and seemed “a little agitated, sweaty and anxious,” according to court documents.

This story was originally published March 23, 2018 at 8:53 AM with the headline "Suspect in Lacey, Tumwater bank robberies turns himself in, pleads not guilty."