Alleged bank robber facing charges for heist of Westfield Bank in South Hadley

Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. file photo
Published: 12-16-2024 4:59 PM |
BELCHERTOWN — A 26-year-old woman who allegedly robbed a bank in South Hadley last week with the help of an unwitting getaway driver is facing charges of armed robbery and making a bomb threat.
Rosa Murillo of Springfield pleaded not guilty to those charges on Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court. Murillo was charged after police identified her as the suspect in a robbery of Westfield Bank in the Big Y Shopping Plaza off Williamanset Street in South Hadley last Wednesday.
According to a statement of facts made by South Hadley Officer Karl Kapinos, shortly after 1 p.m. that day a woman walked into the bank and passed a note to a teller that said, “Put $5,000 cash in an envelope there’s a bomb strapped to my back and if I don’t make it out of here with the $5,000 it will be set off.”
The teller in response gave her $1,615 cash, including bills with recorded serial numbers, court records state.
In reviewing security footage, police determined the woman arrived at the bank in a 2023 Hyundai Sonata with a Connecticut license plate. Police were able to track down the vehicle entering Chicopee. At around 2:30 p.m., Holyoke police stopped the vehicle on Lyman Street, but realized the woman driving was not the same person alleged to have committed the robbery, according to court records.
The driver, identified as J’Annie Carrucini, agreed to be voluntarily transported to the South Hadley police station for questioning. Carrucini told police she participated in what she called “Hood Uber,” an unlicensed network of ride-hailing services where people request and receive transportation via Facebook messages. That day, she picked up Murillo (who she knew as “Rosa Cruz”) from Union Station in Springfield, she said, adding that she had provided her with numerous rides over the past several months.
On this particular day, court records state that Murillo allegedly requested that Carrucini bring her to a bank. Carrucini brought her first to PeoplesBank in Chicopee, but it was closed, so she drove to a nearby Freedom Credit Union, where Murillo was unable to obtain money there. Carrucini said she then brought Murillo to a Bank of America ATM in South Hadley, but Murillo again said she could not make a withdrawal from an ATM. Carrucini then she suggested she try the Westfield Bank located across the parking lot from the ATM.
Murillo then went into the bank (which Carrucini described to police as “suspiciously fast”) before coming out and telling Carrucini to “go,” and asked Carrucini to drive her to Worcester for $80. Carrucini refused and instead drove her back to Springfield. Caurrucini said she later messaged Murillo on Facebook expressing concern on what she had been involved in and stated that she should offer more money if she is going to put others at risk.
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Police were able to identify Murillo from a CashApp profile that she had once used to pay Carrucini for a ride. Police also found that Murillo had a criminal history of larceny and robbery, having previously served time at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Framingham. Murillo was arrested by Amtrak police on Friday in Springfield.
Murillo pleaded not guilty before Judge Bruce Melikian on Monday and will return to court for a pretrial hearing at a later date. Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington handled the arraignment for the commonwealth. Murillo was represented by Amherst defense attorney Everald Henry.
Due to her previous criminal history, Murillo was held without the right to bail under the dangerousness statute without prejudice, which means she can return to court to readdress bail. Murillo is being held at the Western Mass Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.