By Bonnie Culverhouse

Springhill Police arrested two north Webster men for attempting to cash a stolen check that belonged to a deceased Claiborne Parish man.

Colton Brian Waller, 25, and Tony Taylor, 22, of N. Arkansas St., Springhill, are charged with monetary instrument abuse.

Police Chief Will Lynd said Waller and Taylor were attempting to leave a bank parking lot when law  enforcement arrived.

“We apprehended the two men,” Lynd said. “Mr. Taylor had in his possession the stolen payroll check and on the passenger side of the vehicle where Mr. Waller was located, several other checks were located and identified as belonging to the late Mr. Marty Estep of Haynesville.”

Once transported to Springhill Police Department, Taylor reportedly admitted to stealing the checks from Estep’s business in Haynesville.

“He said Mr. Waller was with him at the time of the incident,” Lynd said. “Then he said Waller filled out the check and named 3 other suspects that have received checks from him, filled them out and cashed them.”

Estep died in June 2021. He owned and operated a bookkeeping service in Haynesville.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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