Manuel Escamilla, age 28, of 3 Roedean Drive, Nashua

NASHUA – Manuel Escamilla, the 28-year-old Nashua man police arrested a week ago in connection with the Jan. 8 armed robbery of a West Pearl Street hair salon has been ordered incarcerated pending his next court appearance in March.

Escamilla, of 3 Roedean Drive, faces one count each of robbery, a Class A felony, and felon in possession of a deadly weapon, a Class B felony, police said.

Following the robbery, which occurred while a client was in the chair and the salon owner was cutting her hair, investigating detectives viewed surveillance video from the salon and several nearby businesses looking for someone matching the description the women in the salon gave them.

They told investigators that a man went into the salon and asked to use a phone, but when he was told there wasn’t a phone available to him he allegedly brandished a knife an demanded money, police said.

Fearing for her and the client’s safety, the owner gave the suspect about $200, and he left the shop, police said.

Investigators shared photos of the suspect with members of the department, and one officer recognized him from previous dealings as Escamilla, police added.

A couple of days later, officers were called to a domestic disturbance at a Rodean Drive apartment – which by coincidence was the same address as Escamilla’s, police said.

Responding officers promptly identified Escamilla as the alleged perpetrator of the domestic assault, and took him into custody after a struggle.

They charged him with one count each of simple assault, criminal threatening, criminal mischief and resisting arrest or detention, according to police reports.

After speaking with the alleged assault victim and another family member, police issued a warrant for Escamilla’s arrest on the robbery-related charges, which they served the following day.

Escamilla remains incarcerated pending his next court appearance, which is a dispositional conference scheduled for March 18 in Hillsborough County Superior Court South.

Anyone with additional information on the incident is asked to contact the Nashua Police Department’s Crime Line at 589-1665.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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