DNA match from Greensburg man leads to arrest in Hempfield bank robbery

Authorities used DNA gathered from an index card to charge a Greensburg man with a Nov. 24 bank robbery in Hempfield, according to court papers.

Jonathan Smith Jr., 29, wore a distinct red “DoorDash” covid-19 mask and dark ski cap in an attempt to hide his identity when he passed a threatening note to a teller at Key Bank at 800 E. Pittsburgh St., police said.

“CASH, NO DYE PACKS, GUN!!!, NOW!—Hurry,” the note said, according to court papers.

Smith fled after receiving $3,230 from the teller, according to court documents. He ran through several business parking lots toward Greensburg before he climbed into a red Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SUV near Advance Auto, also along East Pittsburgh Street, and drove away, police say.

Shortly after the robbery, witnesses relayed Smith’s path to troopers as he fled the bank, and police obtained video surveillance of him driving away from the parking lot, according to court documents.

In addition to security photographs inside the bank during the robbery, Key Bank officials supplied troopers with an orange index card the robber handled when he entered the bank without gloves and left behind at the teller’s stall where he passed the note, court records said.

Police obtained a DNA sample from Smith during the investigation and compared it with DNA from the card.

The samples matched, police said.

After police released photographs of the suspect to the media and reported he might have fled in a red Mitsubishi SUV, a county sheriff’s deputy reported he had served a protection-from-abuse order against Smith at his Fox Hill Street home a day before the robbery.

Investigators questioned the woman who filed the PFA against Smith. She told them she used to drive for DoorDash and was missing one of her covid-19 masks, according to court papers.

On Dec. 15, troopers obtained security video from Live! Casino in Hempfield. It showed Smith gambling there a day after the robbery, and Smith’s “attire included the same dark-colored knitted ski cap like the one worn by the robber in the Key Bank robbery,” police say.

Security video showed Smith had similar physical characteristics as the robber, police said.

In addition to robbery, Smith is charged with terroristic threats, receiving stolen property, theft and simple assault. He was ordered to the county jail after failing to post $50,000 bond pending a June 17 preliminary hearing.