blivingston@themeridianstar.com



It appears the “Billy Goat Bandit” has finally been put out to pasture.

A man suspected in several bank robberies, two in Meridian alone at the same bank, was arrested in Mobile, Ala., on Tuesday by local and federal authorities.

Clay Gary Walker, aka “Billy Goat Bandit,” was taken into custody at his Mobile home after FBI agents received a tip. He is connected most recently with the holdup of a Whitney Bank in Biloxi.

Walker also was suspected of robbing several banks in recent months on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He was also strongly linked to the March and June incidents at the Citizen’s National Bank Express location on North Hills Street. Local law enforcement authorities said in June the physical information they obtained in those two instances were very similar to Walker and on Wednesday MPD Chief Benny DuBose confirmed those suspicions.

“He is the one we’ve been looking for,” DuBose said. “He admitted to the robberies here in Meridian.”

DuBose went on to say Walker admitted to approximately 10 bank robberies in all.