– By Jim Emerson
KENTFIELD, CA — College of Marin police arrested William C. Horton, 61, of San
Rafael, charged with two counts of attempted bank robbery and two counts of
burglary.
Horton is a career criminal with a history of arrests and convictions.
Horton was arrested on April 14, after he allegedly presented notes demanding
money at Wells Fargo Bank in Greenbrae and Bank of America in Corte
Madera.
Tellers not seeing any weapon activated silent alarms and stalled him
with excuses. Horton fled from both banks without taking any money.
Central Marin Police Authority coordinated a multi-agency search. An automated
license plate reader alerted Ross police that the suspect was driving along Sir
Francis Drake Boulevard, towards Kentfield.
Officers from the Central Marin Police Authority, Ross Police Department, Marin
County Sheriff’s Office, and College of Marin police converged near the college
campus.
College of Marin police performed a high-risk traffic stop with their firearms
drawn, and detained Horton. He was placed under arrest on Harvard Drive, a
residential street bordering the College of Marin campus in Kentfield.
Horton is new to Marin County. He moved to San Rafael after being released on
parole from prison in Louisiana in August 2025. He was labeled as an habitual
offender in Louisiana, where he was convicted for burglaries, killing burglary
victims’ dogs and using a gun silencer.
Horton who was booked at Marin County Jail is considered a high-flight-risk, and
a special arrangement was made. He was transferred to the Martinez Detention
Facility, a maximum security prison in Contra Costa County.
A records check indicates that Horton had two outstanding felony warrants in
Contra Costa County. This and his parole status in Louisiana make Horton
ineligible for release on bond.
One warrant pertains to probation violation involving a second-degree burglary
conviction in Richmond. The second warrant pertains to missing a court hearing, following an arrest in Antioch for possession of a controlled substance, and drug paraphernalia.
