Nassau drugstore robbery suspect found dead in Brunswick

By KEVIN TURNER

kevin.turner@mynassausun.com

A Fernandina Beach man suspected of robbing a Fernandina Beach drugstore of narcotic prescription drugs April 4 was found dead with his wife in a Brunswick, Ga., hotel room Wednesday.

The Fernandina Beach Police Department reported that both were apparent suicide victims.

The Glynn County Police Department reported Wednesday that officers found Ronald Flannery, 51, and his his 52-year-old wife dead in their Econolodge room about 11:30 a.m. The pair will be autopsied at the GBI Crime Lab in Savannah.

Fernandina Beach police Capt. David Bishop said Wednesday that his department was already on the lookout for Flannery but didn’t know he had left town.

“We had been searching for him to speak with him regarding the case for the last two days,” Bishop said.

Flannery is suspected of walking to the pharmacy in the CVS drugstore at 870 Sadler Road about 8:30 p.m. April 4 and handing the pharmacist a note demanding methadone, Lortab and Xanax.
The pharmacist gave the man several bottles of the narcotics and he walked out.

Bishop said Fernandina Beach police, after talking with witnesses and viewing store video, soon got a warrant for Flannery’s arrest on charges of armed robbery, drug trafficking, aggravated assault and false imprisonment.

Fernandina Beach Police Chief Jim Hurley wrote in a statement that Flannery’s friends and family said he was distraught and addicted to prescription narcotics.