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GREENSBORO - After hundreds of tips from the public and a big break created by an argument on N.C. A&T's campus, police arrested a suspect Monday in the highly publicized Dec. 15 homicide at Old Navy at Friendly Center.

Isaam Mattay Chaplin, 28, was arrested by the A&T police department about 3:30 p.m. Monday outside Campbell Hall, officials said.

Chaplin is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Juan Estaban Salado, a guard with Brink's Security, who was shot in the head in an early morning robbery outside Old Navy, police said.

"We are very excited about bringing some closure to (Salado's) family," said Capt. Janice Rogers of the Greensboro Police Department. "This was an ambush-type murder to a man who was doing his job and had a 6-year-old son he left behind and a fiancée. (This happened) for no good cause."

His sister, Joanna Salado, said Tuesday that hearing about the arrest in her brother's homicide was a bittersweet moment.

"I was happy this person was taken off the street, but it hit me again that my brother will not return home," she said.

The robbery and homicide happened about 10 a.m. Dec. 15 after a man wearing nurse's scrubs and a wig entered the store and began browsing, police said.

When the Brink's Security armored truck pulled up, Salado went inside and picked up the store's deposit. A man with a gun approached Salado in front of the store, police said. The gunman fired two shots, with at least one hitting Salado in the head.

Taking an undisclosed amount of money, the gunman fled on foot to a waiting car, police said.

Salado died at Moses Cone Hospital.

"We said early on, the citizens of this city would solve this case," Rogers said. "We got hundreds of Crime Stoppers calls in reference to the Brink's murder, and as a result of that, we were able to develop a person of interest."

That person of interest was Chaplin, although police declined to say how soon after the killing he was considered a suspect.

Chaplin of 3810-H Cotswald Ave. was arrested Monday by A&T police officer Tony Scott when Scott was called to check on an argument between two people outside Campbell Hall on campus.

Scott found Chaplin sitting on the curb outside the Student Union. Chaplin had no identification but gave his name, Scott said.

"I got confirmation that he had outstanding warrants (for a traffic violation) ... They then advised me he was a person of interest in a homicide," Scott said.
Chaplin was taken to A&T police headquarters to confirm his identity. He was later turned over to Greensboro police.

A&T officials said Chaplin was a former student at the university who withdrew twice - both in the spring and fall semesters of 2008. He was a criminal justice major and a former equipment manager with the football team. University officials said they had no idea why Chaplin was on campus Monday.

Campus police said Chaplin had no weapons and cooperated with authorities throughout the arrest despite acting extremely nervous.

Chaplin is a former employee at Old Navy, having worked at the Friendly Center store from 2002 to 2005, said Louise Callagy, a spokeswoman for Gap, the parent company of Old Navy.

Chaplin is believed to have acted alone in the robbery, Rogers said. She declined to comment when asked if there had been a confession. She said Chaplin has no criminal record other than minor traffic violations.

The disguise used in the killing and the getaway vehicle have not been recovered, Rogers said, noting that officials are still very early in their investigation.

Chaplin is being held without bond at the Guilford County jail in Greensboro on charges of first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and various traffic violations.

Rogers said the $25,000 reward offered by Brink's Security will be awarded if Chaplin is convicted, but she said it's too early to know who would get the money.

The distribution of a $2,000 reward offered by Crime Stoppers will be determined by
the organization's board of directors once they review all of the tips given in the case, she said.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com