South Lake Tahoe robbery and car theft leads to arrest of two suspects near Fresh Pond

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Two different crimes in South Lake Tahoe on Wednesday turned out to be related and the alleged suspects were arrested near Fresh Pond, California.

On May 20 at approximately 2:50 p.m., officers from South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) responded to the 7-11 at 2620 Lake Tahoe Boulevard after receiving a call of a robbery. Upon arrival, the clerk told officers a man and a woman had walked into the store with black masks on, approached the counter where the female demanded money.

The clerk recognized the female as a former employee of the 7-11 on Pioneer Trail, Deatra Ingels, 32-year-old South Lake Tahoe resident. The male had his hand on his waistband as if reaching for a concealed weapon, according to SLTPD. The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of money and the two suspects left the store.

While officers were investigating the crime at the store another call came in about a stolen white 2013 Toyota 4Runner from the 900 block of San Francisco Ave. The SLTPD dispatchers sent out a description of the stolen vehicle.

An SLTPD detective was driving back to South Lake Tahoe from Sacramento where he had been taking evidence from a solved cold case to the Department of Justice and heard the call on his radio about the Toyota 4Runner. As he was passing Sierra-at-Tahoe on US50 he saw a car matching the same description heading west on the highway. The detective turned around, followed the Toyota, and called El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO).

EDSO deputies responded and were able to catch up to the stolen vehicle near Fresh Pond. The vehicle was stopped by marked EDSO units.

The driver of the Toyota turned out to be the same suspect as the one from the 7-11 robbery, Detra Ingels. Her male accomplice from the 7-11 incident was also in the car, Jordan Schroeder, a 28-year-old South Lake Tahoe resident. Both were arrested at the scene and SLTPD went to Fresh Pond to process evidence and the suspects went to the jail in Placerville.

While investigators were interviewing Ingels, SLTPD said she told them she was living in a homeless camp behind Motel 6 when she was issued a trespassing notice from a combined SLTPD/EDSO Homeless Outreach Team the day prior. She wanted to move to the Sacramento area to camp.

Ingels told officers she had been walking around the AL Tahoe neighborhood and admitted to breaking into a house and stealing the keys for the Toyota, according to SLTPD.

How she picked the house and knew where the keys where is still under investigation, but police believe she knew the victim.

Ingles was arrested at the scene on charges of robbery and possession of a stolen vehicle. She was booked into the El Dorado County Jail on $115,000 bail.

Jordan Schroeder was identified as the male accomplice in the robbery.

Investigators also discovered that Jordan Schroeder is a registered sex offender who failed to update his registration after moving to South Lake Tahoe from out of state. He had a 2014 conviction in Douglas County. Schroeder was arrested on charges of robbery and violation of his sex offender requirements. He was also booked into the EL Dorado County jail on $155,000 bail.

This is still an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is requested to contact the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at (530) 542-6100 or Secret Witness at (530) 541-6800.