Long Beach burglary: Third suspect arrested, burglar killed not pregnant

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Ruby Adams, 49, left, and Andrea Miller, 28, right, are accused of burglarizing a Long Beach home on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.
Ruby Adams, 49, left, and Andrea Miller, 28, right, are accused of burglarizing a Long Beach home on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.
KABC-KABC

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A third suspect was involved in the Long Beach robbery of an elderly man that resulted in the death of a female burglar who claimed she was pregnant, Long Beach police said Friday.

Ruby Adams, 49, was arrested Thursday night and booked for robbery. She is the mother of Gus Adams, 26, who was also allegedly involved in burglarizing a house near Terrylynn Place and Country Club Drive on Tuesday night.

In addition, the Los Angeles County Coroner released Friday that Andrea Miller, 28, who claimed she was pregnant while allegedly burglarizing the home with Gus and Ruby Adams, was not pregnant. Miller was shot and killed by the 80-year-old Tom Greer, the owner of the home.

Greer told police he came home and found two suspects, identified as Miller and Gus Adams, burglarizing his house.

"(The suspects) jump on him, as he describes, and they beat him with fists, and then throw him, body slam him, basically, on to the floor," said Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

Greer had a broken collarbone, cuts and bruises from the attack.

"They leave him, basically I think, believing he's not a threat. He is able to get up. At that point, he goes into another room, retrieves a gun and comes back and confronts them once again," McDonnell said.

As the suspects fled, Greer opened fire on them inside and outside the home, hitting Miller as she fled into an alley.

Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to file charges against Greer, who told media that he shot Miller despite her pleading not to shoot because she was pregnant.

Gus Adams, the alleged accomplice, fled unharmed but was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of residential burglary and murder. He was charged Friday with murder, residential robbery, residential burglary, grand theft firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the District Attorney's Office. He remained jailed on $1,025,500 bail.

Under California law, homeowners can defend themselves if they are in "imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death," McDonnell said. Prosecutors will have to determine whether Greer's action went beyond self-defense.

Anyone who may have information regarding this investigation was urged to contact Long Beach police Detectives Mark McGuire and Greg Kabbe at (562) 570-7244.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.