3 arrested in killing of illegal casino owner

Riverdale police have arrested three Atlanta men on charges they robbed an illegal Riverdale casino operating in a video store and killed the owner.

Arrested are Gary “The General” Kilgore, 28, Dexter “Buck” Armstrong, 39, and Jessie “Fleetwood” Mathis, 33, on charges of murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery.

“This is a very serious crime and the consequences may be dire,” Riverdale Police Chief said Thursday at a news conference.

On Oct. 19, police found Souphoth Thammavongsa dead inside his store, the Thai Video on Ga. 85 in Riverdale, Police Chief Samuel Patterson said.

The video store was a front for the illegal casino Thammavongsa was operating in the back of his business, Patterson said.

Police say Armstrong and Mathis were inside the casino when Kilgore allegedly stormed the store, yelled “Down on the floor, ATF” and shot the owner in the neck.

The three suspects then took thousands of dollars and fled, Patterson said.

Police say they found poker tables, video gaming machines and other gambling equipment in the back of the store.

Investigators believe the illegal casino may be tied to other gambling operations in Clayton County and Atlanta. Police are still investigating Thammavongsa’s family and employees, who may face illegal gambling charges, Patterson said.

Police say Thammavongsa, 54, of Forest Park, had been running the Riverdale casino for at least six months.

Police say the suspects may also be tied to other crimes and the investigation continues.

The arrests were the result of an investigation by Riverdale and Atlanta police, U.S. Marshals, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.