Texas Groom Robbed Bank To Pay For Wedding: Sheriff

A day before his wedding, a Texas groom who reportedly was strapped for cash robbed a bank to pay the wedding venue where the ceremony would be held and to buy his bride a ring, according to the sheriff in Trinity County.

Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace recounted the robbery and the reported motive behind it in a video posted to his Facebook page. The suspect, identified as Heath Bumpous, ultimately turned himself in after his fiancee recognized him from photos the sheriff's office had circulated, Wallace said. He also thanked Bumpous' family for their help in getting Bumpous to surrender to authorities.

Wallace said deputies were able to get a full confession and some of the money back from Bumpous. The robbery occurred Friday in Groveton, a small town about two hours north of Houston.

According to an alert sent out by the sheriff's office at the time of the robbery, the local school district was placed on lockout as authorities searched for the suspect. Officials also said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.

Bumpous' fiancee called him after he fled the robbery and asked if he had robbed a bank, according to Wallace. She recognized him from the sheriff's post on Facebook.

After initially denying to his fiancee that it was him, he agreed to turn himself in, Wallace said.

In an interview with officials after the robbery, Bumpous said he needed the money for his wedding, according to Wallace.

"He basically stated that he was getting married tomorrow so he didn't have enough money for a wedding ring that he wanted to buy and he needed to pay for the wedding venue," Wallace said in the video. "So apparently that's what the money was for, for us to pay for him to get married tomorrow."

Bumpous has been charged with aggravated robbery.