McNairy Co. sheriff says bank robbery suspects used ATV as getaway vehicle

McNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. — Gene Howell and Janet Thompson have been arrested in connection with a bank robbery in McNairy County. Howell is also a suspect in a Henderson County bank robbery.

“From the very beginning there were so many similarities between the two cases,” McNairy County Sheriff Guy Buck said.

Back in August, deputies say Howell robbed the Home Banking Company in Finger at gunpoint and used an ATV as a getaway vehicle. Then in October, deputies say Howell robbed the People’s Bank in Reagan at gunpoint.

“He did fire a shot at the robbery in Henderson County, but thankfully no one was hurt,” Sheriff Buck said.

Sheriff Buck says Jane Thompson is believed to be the getaway driver in the Finger bank robbery.

“She was waiting about two miles away on a back country road, and we believe he drove the side-by-side to her, ditched it in the woods there and then she had been waiting for him,” Sheriff Buck said.

Howell is being held in McNairy County while Janet Thompson is still in the Alcorn County Jail in Mississippi.

Their first court date is set for Nov. 30.