ONTARIO – Brian McConnell could point directly to the date his life changed forever, Nov. 6, 2015. That was the day his family was held hostage while he was directed to take money out of the Key Bank branch he managed.
It was one of the most bizarre crimes in recent memory. On Saturday, July 15 an episode of ABC’s 20/20: In An Instant broadcast it to the nation.
The show, entitled “Home Invasion Horror,” describes in detail the 2015 robbery of Ontario’s KeyBank and hostage situation that threatened the lives of McConnell and his family.
“ABC 20/20 did a good job of telling the story,” said Ontario Police Department detective Jon Sigler. “I’m happy the McConnells were able to tell their side of the story.”
The unique robbery began Nov. 5 when a disguised man entered the McConnells’ 4806 Millsboro Road home. He held McConnell, his wife and their two children hostage, threatening to shoot them if they didn’t comply with his orders.
The man’s intentions: To rob the Ontario bank without ever entering it.
“I never imagined someone would come into my home and demand what they did,” McConnel said in the show.
He declined an interview for this story.
The events leading up the robbery began at 2 p.m. Nov. 5. Katie McConnell and her two children, age 2 and 4, came home to an intruder, who threatened and held them hostage. Later, Brian arrived at home and was also held captive overnight.
The next morning, he was forced to rob the KeyBank at 88 N. Lexington-Springmill Road.
Numerous local media outlets covered the robbery. The story includes the 911 phone call that Brian made after his family was safe.
Later, Taylor Crisman and Chris Hill, both of Galion, were arrested. Crisman was identified using a sketch, and both were sentenced to prison.
Crisman, 19, who held the family hostage, was sentenced to 37 years after being found guilty of bank robbery, kidnapping, hostage taking and brandishing a firearm in relation to commission of a felony, among other crimes.
His accomplice, Hill, 24, is to serve 25 years for the same charges. Hill took part in the robbery without stepping foot inside the bank or the McConnell home. He gave Crisman instructions though via cell phone.
A third person, Sarah J. Garrett, 42, of Bucyrus, was also sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison for her involvement in this crime. She pleaded guilty to receipt of ransom money and misprision of a felony (knowing a felony was taking place but failing to report it).
When McConnell returned home after taking money out of KeyBank, he gave Crisman the money and was able to get the gun away from him.
“In that second, I decided not to shoot him,” McConnell said on the episode.
In fact, to get Crisman to leave, he unloaded the gun and handed it back to the man, who was expressing concern that his partner would be unhappy and possibly come back to harm the McConnells if he returned without the weapon.
“Until you’re in it and your family’s lives depend on it, you don’t know what you’re going to do,” said Katie McConnell, during the episode.
She was responding to how people have discussed her family on social media. Brian McConnell left his job at KeyBank to become a financial advisor. He and Katie are no longer together.
The 20/20: In An Instant episode also interviewed retired Sgt. Mike Viars and teller, Shannon Stamper, who arrived at the bank the morning of the robbery.
To watch Home Invasion Horror, visit the ABC 20/20 YouTube channel or visit abc.go.com.
In this June 2016 article, bank robbery is called one of the “dumbest of crimes.”
