WHNT NEWS 19 Exclusive: Man With Missing Nose Turns Himself In

Clarissa Stephens

Shoals Bureau Reporter

4:46 PM CST, November 12, 2009

TUSCUMBIA, AL - The search is over for the man who allegedly came into a home, fought with the two men who lived there, and stole their money. Florence police say William Cole turned himself in Thursday.

WHNT NEWS 19 was the only television station to capture video of Cole. He spoke with us, too. Watch the interview below this story.

Cole is missing part of his nose after getting in a fight with a man living in the home. The man bit off most of his nose during the struggle.

The robbery happened just after 11:30 a.m. on Monday at a home in the 900 block of John Street. Police say one man was asleep, the other sitting inside, when Cole opened the door and walked in. Police say Cole had a screwdriver and a knife in his pocket. The robber went to a back room and grabbed a coat with $100 in the pocket. Police believe the robber visited the house earlier in the day with another guy.

"He'd seen the victim put money in his wallet in that coat," says Williams.

As Cole tried to leave, the victim confronted him and they started to fight. A second man, who'd been asleep woke up, and got involved. When the second victim ran to get a gun, Williams say things got very physical between the robber and the first victim.

"As the confrontation was going on, the offender got his nose bitten off," says Williams. "We're guessing from the bridge to the tip of the nose and it was a pretty good piece."

The robber still managed to get away with the cash, but without a chunk of his nose.

Cole was already a wanted man. WHNT NEWS 19 featured him in the Shoals Area CrimeStoppers report on Monday night. The Florence Police Department has a warrant for Cole's arrest for first-degree theft of property. He is accused of stealing a woman's purse. Cole also has three other bench warrants for failure to appear in court.

                                   LINK TO VIDEO:

 http://www.whnt.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=39aaf628-97a1-4f26-8410-2e9b0859ef3f&src=front

                            (Warning - Grotesque!)

                    Photo: Piece of Robbery Suspect's Nose

http://www.whnt.com/news/shoals/whnt-robbers-nose-bitten-off-photo,0,2079211.photo