Woman Returns to Robbery Scene for Lost Phone, Arrested on Spot
In a bizarre turn of events that unfolded late Sunday night in Gulfport, Mississippi, a 34-year-old woman named Jessinya Faye Ezell found herself behind bars after a robbery attempt went spectacularly awry. What began as a calculated crime at a Dollar General store on Dedeaux Road ended in an astonishing display of misjudgment, as Ezell returned to the very scene of her crime to retrieve a lost cellphone, only to be apprehended by police still investigating the incident. The audacity of her return, coupled with the sheer improbability of the situation, has left the community both stunned and intrigued, sparking conversations about the unpredictability of human behavior under pressure.
The incident began around 9:30 p.m. on May 11, 2025, when Gulfport police received a call reporting an armed robbery at the discount retailer located at 12600 Dedeaux Road. According to authorities, Ezell entered the store wielding a firearm, her intentions clear as she demanded money from the employees. The situation escalated quickly when she engaged in a physical altercation with a store employee, a struggle that underscored the tension and danger of the moment. Despite the chaos, Ezell managed to flee the scene with an undisclosed amount of cash, leaving behind rattled employees and a trail of questions. For a brief moment, it seemed she had escaped justice, vanishing into the night with her ill-gotten gains.
But the story took an unexpected twist mere minutes later. As police officers were still on-site, canvassing the store and interviewing witnesses, Ezell reappeared, walking back into the Dollar General with a request that defied belief: she asked if anyone had seen her cellphone, which she had apparently dropped during the robbery. Employees, still reeling from the ordeal, immediately recognized her as the perpetrator. The officers, equally astonished by her return, wasted no time in taking her into custody. Ezell was arrested without further incident and charged with one count of armed robbery, a serious offense that carries significant legal consequences.
Ezell is now being held at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center, where she awaits further legal proceedings under a $100,000 bond. The Gulfport Police Department has urged anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward, providing contact numbers for both the department and Mississippi Crime Stoppers. The case has drawn attention not only for its unusual circumstances but also for the broader context of crime in the area. Dollar General stores, often located in accessible and heavily trafficked areas, have been frequent targets for robberies along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This incident, however, stands out for its sheer peculiarity, as Ezell’s decision to return to the scene effectively handed authorities the opportunity to apprehend her.
The community response has been a mix of disbelief and dark humor, with many residents marveling at the lapse in judgment that led to Ezell’s capture. Social media platforms have buzzed with commentary, some likening the incident to a scene from a comedy rather than a real-life crime. Yet beneath the surface lies a sobering reminder of the risks faced by retail workers, who often find themselves on the front lines of such dangerous encounters. The employee who fought with Ezell, though unharmed, was thrust into a terrifying situation, highlighting the human toll of such crimes.
As the legal process moves forward, questions linger about Ezell’s motivations and state of mind. Was her return driven by desperation, carelessness, or simply an inability to foresee the consequences of her actions? For now, those answers remain elusive, but the story of the Gulfport Dollar General robbery will likely endure as a cautionary tale of crime gone wrong—and a testament to the unpredictable nature of human decisions.
