DNA Evidence Helps Convict Newport Man Of Armed Robbery

On March 4, 2026, Lincoln County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Sheryl Bachart sentenced Joshawa Devries to 90 months in prison after a jury found him guilty of robbing an employee at South Beach Grocery, at gunpoint, in July of 2025. The incident took place on July 27, 2025 at approximately 3:45 in the morning at South Beach Grocery Store. The store clerk was working alone when a male walked into the store. He was wearing a mask made from a torn white t-shirt and a wrapping around his left hand made out of the same white t-shirt. He then walked to the cash register, pointed a firearm at the employee, and demanded cash and cigarettes.

Upon reviewing the photograph from store security video, and based on the suspect’s height, weight, and posture, Officer Abraham Felix, of Newport Police, believed the suspect to be Joshawa Devries. Officer Felix knew Devries from prior police contacts. Four hours following the robbery, Officer Felix and Newport Police Sergeant Michael Leake, contacted Devries, who was wearing the same shoes and same pants as the suspect seen in security video. Devries also has a tattoo on his left hand, the same hand the suspect had covered during the commission of the robbery. Upon search, officers found the same brand of cigarettes in Devries’ backpack, along with $120 in his wallet.

Sergeant Leake continued the investigation and located the mask, hand wrapping, t-shirt, a $50 bill, and the sweatshirt worn by the suspect. Sergeant Leake collected the items and sent the mask and hand wrapping to the crime lab for DNA testing. Sergeant Leake additionally took a DNA swab from Devries, which was also sent to the crime lab.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Beebe. At trial, Beebe called ten witnesses, six being from the Oregon State Crime Lab. All six of the crime lab witnesses played a role in DNA analysis. The DNA analysis process was explained to the jury, with the final witness discussing the results of the DNA analysis linking Devries to the items collected.

On February 18, 2025, after a two-day trial, the Lincoln County, 12-member jury, deliberated for 3 hours before returning guilty verdicts on all four counts: Robbery in the First Degree with a Firearm, Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm, Menacing, and Theft in the Second Degree. Judge Bachart sentenced Devries pursuant to the sentence dictated by the Oregon Sentencing Guidelines to a total of 90 months (7.5 years) at the Department of Corrections. The jury also found that Devries personally used or threatened to use a firearm during the commission of the Robbery.

Devries criminal history began in 2014 in Lincoln County with a felony conviction for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. In 2015, he was convicted of three (3) counts of Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. In 2019, he was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. His criminal history also includes convictions for Theft in the 2nd Degree, Criminal Mischief, as well as multiple probation and parole violations.

The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Newport Police and the Oregon State Crime Lab for their commitment to this case.