http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/031218motelupdate.html

Motel robber gets life sentence
By MIKE HOYEM, [email protected]
Published by news-press.com on December 18, 2003

A Fort Myers man convicted Oct. 2 of breaking into a nun’s motel room
and robbing her at gunpoint will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Ernest Major – who was also involved in a motel robbery that ended in
a deadly shootout – was sentenced Wednesday by Lee Circuit Judge Lynn
Gerald Jr.

Major, 23, was convicted of home-invasion robbery for forcing his way
into the hotel room of Sister Carol Andrew, who is an episcopal nun and
priest at a convent in Augusta, Ga.

Sister Carol was staying at a Motel 6 in North Fort Myers and visiting
relatives in Southwest Florida on Aug. 11, 2002, when Major knocked on
her door, forced his way into the room and robbed her.

The heist was one of a string of motel robberies in the summer of 2002
that ended on Aug. 24 with a shootout at a Howard Johnson Express in
North Fort Myers.

The shootout left Major’s alleged accomplice, Phillip C. “New Wave”
Nelson, dead. Major fled with several bullet wounds but was arrested a
few hours later.

Assistant State Attorneys Jean-Paul Galasso and Marie Doerr prosecuted
the case.

“It was well deserved,” Galasso said of the life sentence.

The robbery at the Howard Johnson Express went awry when motel guest
Steven D. Robey pulled a pistol from under his pillow and began shooting
at Nelson and Major.

Nelson collapsed and died at the scene.
Major faces several charges in connection with that case, including
attempted first-degree murder and attempted robbery.

He’s also charged with second-degree felony murder for allegedly causing
Nelson’s death.

In Florida, a person can be charged with murder if they commit a felony
and someone dies while it’s being committed, even an accomplice.

Galasso said he plans to proceed with a trial in that case, probably in
February.

Assistant Deputy Public Defender Kenneth Garber, who represented Major,
declined comment