A 43-year-old man is in custody after police say he assaulted and robbed a woman outside her apartment in Jonesboro.
Authorities identified the suspect as Christopher Lee Bills. A judge has charged him with robbery, a Class B felony, along with misdemeanor counts of third-degree battery and theft involving $1,000 or less. He is currently being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
According to investigators, the incident occurred on March 23 near an apartment complex on West Nettleton Avenue. The victim told police that Bills confronted her, accusing her of taking his property. When she denied the allegation, he allegedly attacked her, striking her multiple times and hitting her with a motorcycle helmet, resulting in minor injuries.
Police say Bills then took the woman’s purse and keys before returning to his apartment. A short time later, he reportedly came back and demanded access to the victim’s apartment to search for the missing items.
Once inside, authorities say Bills refused to let the woman leave. During the search, he allegedly lost consciousness, allowing the victim to escape and seek help. A maintenance worker contacted police, who arrived and found Bills still inside the apartment.
He was taken into custody at the scene and remains held at the county detention center. Officials say he is scheduled to appear in circuit court on May 20.
As part of the conditions set by the court, Bills has been ordered to have no contact with the victim.