Teen convicted of felony murder in Burger King robbery

By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 06:53 p.m., July 1, 2008
Updated 03:58 p.m., July 1, 2008

The teenager who drove the getaway car during the fatal robbery of a Burger King last summer was convicted of first-degree felony murder and all other charges today in Jefferson County.

Like his three accomplices, Mark Sample, now 19, was also an employee of the restaurant at West 64th Avenue and Ward Road where employee Celia Meza, 31, was shot and killed July 15 during a robbery that witnesses said the group had talked about for weeks.

Anthony Lowe, 22, and Thomas Johns, 18, were convicted June 12 of first-degree felony murder in the fatal robbery.

They climbed through the drive-up window of the Arvada restaurant about 3 a.m. July 15 and forced Meza into a freezer where she was later shot by Lowe.

Night manager Anthony Cole was working that night and in on the robbery plan. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and testified in the other trials. He faces a 48-year sentence July 10.

Sample, a cook at the restaurant, told police that he got $300 for driving the getaway car. He said that Lowe and Johns changed clothes in the car, throwing the black clothing they wore during the robbery out of the car windows. Sample said he dropped them off at the bus station. Johns and Lowe were arrested July 17 in Savannah, Ga.

Sample faces life without parole for first-degree felony murder at his sentencing Aug. 7. He also was convicted of reckless manslaughter, assault, kidnapping, robbery, theft and conspiracy. Lowe and Johns also face life prison terms at their sentencing hearings July 15.

• July 2, 2008

  7:22 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  sheepherder writes:

  Let's see if the Lisl Auman crowd comes to this guys defense. He, and her belong in jail.