Robbery at Kiddie Land Park sends homeless couple to jail

DUNCAN — A homeless couple is in jail for allegations of punching a teen and stole his backpack Wednesday night at Kiddie Land Park.

Paperwork was filed Thursday in Stephens County District Court charging Riley Shriver, 21, and Elizabeth Nickole Ratley, 27, of Duncan, each with a felony charge of first-degree robbery, records indicate. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and, if convicted, 85 percent of the sentence would have to be served before consideration for parole due to the violent nature of the charge.

Duncan police were called shortly before 10:30 p.m. Wednesday to the park at the corner of U.S. 81 and Beech Avenue. A 16-year-old reported being robbed by a man wearing a white shirt and colorful hat who was accompanied by a female wearing all black, the probable cause affidavit states. Two people matching the description were detained at 13th Street and Hickory Avenue.

Officer Bailey Webb stated he spoke with the teen who said he’d been sitting under the pavilion when Shriver walked up and said “it’s really bright.” After turning out the light, Shriver came up and punched the teen on the right side of the face a couple of times, took his backpack and ran off northbound on 14th Street, the affidavit states. Inside the backpack were a Nintendo Switch, headphones and a controller. Webb stated the backpack and items were recovered nearby.

Shriver declined to talk with police.

Ratley told Webb they’d gone to the park to charge her phone and had turned off the light because it was hurting her eyes and she had a headache, according to the affidavit. She said Shriver told her they had to go and she didn’t ask any questions because she thought he was mad at her because they argue a lot, Webb stated.