Inmate escapes into woods, manhunt commences; 3 days later, gun owner encounters fugitive outside his home



A Georgia homeowner on Thursday detained at gunpoint an inmate who had escaped into the woods and had been on the run for three days.

The Towns County Sheriff's Office said 39-year-old inmate Bruce Douglas Partin Jr. was on work detail Monday at the county dump when he escaped into the woods on Highway 288 around 2:30 p.m.

But Kirby had a gun on him, and authorities said he drew his weapon and ordered Partin to the ground. Partin complied.

The sheriff’s office deployed a drone and K-9 tracking dog with no success. Authorities said Partin was being housed in the Towns County Detention Center and was awaiting a court appearance on the following charges: purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution or sale of marijuana; theft by taking; probation violation; and burglary.

Authorities added that Partin was spotted on a trail camera at the end of Ivy Mountain Road in the Fodder Creek area Tuesday around 1:20 p.m. The sheriff's office Facebook post includes a pair of images showing Partin in the woods.

The sheriff's office added that Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Natural Resources all utilized every resource, including aerial patrol and K-9 units, to assist with the search for and capture of Partin. Authorities added that he was still at large as of 4:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Captured

The sheriff's office said a resident on Fodder Creek Road in the Gander Gap area spotted Partin in his orange jail uniform around 5:15 p.m. Thursday and called 911. With that, authorities said sheriff's deputies saturated the area in search of the suspect.

About two hours later, the sheriff's office said Steven Kirby — a resident who lives on Vester Road — was inside his home when Odie, his labradoodle, began aggressively alerting him to someone outside the residence.

The sheriff's office said Kirby went outside, and Partin — who's 6 feet, 4 inches tall — confronted him. But Kirby had a gun on him, and authorities said he drew his weapon and ordered Partin to the ground. Partin complied.

An image on the sheriff's Facebook page shows Kirby pointing a gun at Partin, who's facedown on the ground with his ankles crossed and his hands behind his back.

Authorities said Kirby’s wife, Amy, called 911, and sheriff’s deputies quickly arrived on the scene to take Partin into custody just after 7 p.m. Online maps indicate Partin was captured around six miles southwest of the area where he made his escape.

The sheriff's office said Kirby noted that he's committed to protecting his family and property from harm.

Authorities said Sheriff Ken Henderson expressed gratitude toward the Fodder Creek community for their vigilance and assistance, but most of all to Kirby for his courage and willingness to act: “It is truly a pleasure to work in a community where we can count on the ongoing support of citizens like Mr. Kirby to stand behind us and, in cases like this, even physically aid us when necessary."

What's more, the Kirby family on Friday received the $500 reward offered for information leading to Partin's arrest — and Steven Kirby and his dog Odie got a commendation.

Image source: Towns County (Ga.) Sheriff's Office

"Sheriff Henderson strongly supports the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms and was thankful that Mr. Kirby's instincts kicked in, and he went above and beyond to not only protect his family and property but his community as well," the sheriff's office Facebook entry said.

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Fugitive on the lam for 17 years captured; tricked wife, children with fake identity, police say

Fugitive on the lam for 17 years captured; tricked wife, children with fake identity, police say



A South Carolina man on authorities' "most wanted" list was captured Tuesday in Detroit after 17 years of hiding in plain sight, according to the Anderson County Sheriff's Office.

"During the arrest, his son and wife were there. We asked him on the side, 'hey, does your wife and kid know your true identity,' and he actually expressed to us that they didn't," Deputy U.S. Marshal Gregory Yan told WJBK.

"Maybe if he would have just 'fessed up to this years ago, he would have been out by now and had nothing to worry about, wouldn't have had to lie to his family for so long."

Yan added that Hall "almost seemed relieved" when he was captured.

"After 17 years on the run, the perseverance, dedication and teamwork of our agencies resulted in the apprehension of one of Anderson County’s Most Wanted fugitives," U.S. Marshal of the District of South Carolina Chrissie Latimore said in a statement acquired by Fox News Digital.

Antran Hall was originally found guilty in absentia for cocaine trafficking and failure to stop for blue lights in 2006, according to ACSO's press release posted to Facebook.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Yan told WBTK that Hall "bounced from the trial" about halfway through it, and since then, had been "in the wind."

Earlier this year, detectives from Anderson County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Investigations Unit unearthed information about Hall using an alias in Detroit, Michigan, the release also said.

A fingerprint match that stemmed from a traffic infraction in Detroit was what gave him away, according to WJBK. He had been using the alias Calhoun Walton and lived in a home near Seven Mile and Lahser.

U.S. Marshals, looking further into the lead and narrowing their search, took Hall into custody June 27, the release says.

"The investigation shows Hall lived under a fake identity, even tricking his own wife and children that only knew him by his alias name."

Hall was inside the Wayne County Detention Center in Michigan awaiting extradition to South Carolina as of Thursday.

Watch coverage from WJBK below of the capture of Antran Hall, also known as Calhoun Walton, who evaded capture for 17 years after fleeing from South Carolina to Detroit, Michigan, even fooling his wife and child.



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Homeowner holds armed teen gang member at gunpoint until cops arrive; police say suspect ran from high school after cop spotted him with rifle in carpool lane



A Georgia homeowner held an armed teen gang member at gunpoint until police arrived to arrest him late Wednesday.

Image source: Bibb County Sheriff’s Office

What are the details?

The 17-year-old male had a gun when he jumped out of a vehicle at Westside High School — which is in Macon — and ran away Wednesday, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office said.

A Bibb County School Campus police officer who was monitoring vehicles in the carpool line saw the gun and approached the vehicle, authorities said, adding that's when the teen ran off.

The suspect was identified in Bibb County jail and arrest documents as Zyon Rahquez Hardwick, the Macon Telegraph reported. Arrest warrants indicate the campus police officer saw Hardwick with a Bushmaster .223 rifle while sitting in a Toyota in the school’s carpool-pickup line at about 2:25 p.m., the Telegraph added.

What's more, Hardwick is a “known and admitted” member of the “912 Crip/OTS" street gang, the paper reported, citing the warrants.

A spokesperson for Bibb County School District told the Telegraph the suspect took off running with the gun into some woods near the Heath Road campus, after which the school was locked down.

A multiple-agency manhunt ensued, which included the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Corrections, Bibb County School District Campus Police, and the Georgia State Patrol, authorities said.

The homeowner held the teen at gunpoint, and he was taken into custody, authorities said.

Image source: Bibb County Sheriff’s Office

Deputies did not specify the location of the homeowner and the teen at the time of the arrest, WSB-TV reported.

The Bibb sheriff’s warrant noted that Hardwick was apprehended with the same rifle he was seen holding in an Oct. 7 Instagram photo taken in the parking lot of Westside High, the Telegraph said, adding that Hardwick was attending a football game at the school that day.

The suspect was charged with carrying weapons within school safety zones, at school functions, or on school property; criminal street gang activity; and possession of a pistol or revolver by a person under 18 years of age, authorities said.

Authorities said the suspect was behind bars at the Bibb County Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Center. The paper said he was being held without bond.

Image source: Bibb County Sheriff’s Office

Westside High was closed through the end of the week, and students were asked to log in to classes virtually, the Telegraph said.

How are folks reacting?

The Bibb County Sheriff's Office — and the gun-toting homeowner — received major kudos from commenters underneath the Facebook post from the sheriff's office about the arrest:

  • "A great job by multiple agencies and the homeowner!!" one commenter wrote. "As always stay safe out there."
  • "Kudos to the homeowner," another commenter said.
  • "Awesome job to all including to the brave homeowner," another commenter noted. "Happy everyone is safe and the bad guy is behind bars. Sad that he is only 17 years old. Maybe behind bars will teach him a lesson."
  • "Great job BCSO and citizen who took action," another commenter declared.
  • "Great job homeowner and LEO ... getting this trash off the streets," another commenter wrote. "Now our DA and judges need to do their jobs.

Image source: Bibb County Sheriff’s Office

Fugitive involved in US Navy bribery scandal captured in Venezuela while attempting to board plane



Leonard Glenn Francis, also known as "Fat Leonard," was captured on Tuesday by authorities in Venezuela at the Caracas airport while attempting to board a plane to Russia, the Associated Press reported. Francis was a Malaysian defense contractor who participated in a massive bribery scandal involving the U.S. Navy.

The defense contractor fled the United States before his sentencing, resulting in an international manhunt.

In 2015, Francis pleaded guilty to offering bribes, prostitution services, luxury hotels, cigars, rare liquor, and gourmet meals to U.S. Navy officials and others in exchange for help with his ship servicing company based in Singapore. He admitted to offering over $500,000 in bribes.

Francis' company was accused of overcharging the Navy by approximately $35 million for servicing ships. Many of the Navy ships his company serviced were routed to ports Francis controlled in the Pacific.

While awaiting sentencing, Francis was allowed to remain on house arrest to receive medical care in exchange for his cooperation and assistance in identifying Navy officers involved in the bribery scandal. Francis helped to secure convictions for 33 of 34 defendants.

Four years ago, U.S. District Court Judge Janis Sammartino denied Francis' request to be placed on house arrest without a constant security presence for fear he would run away. Instead, Sammartino insisted that security guards remain on site.

Earlier this month, Francis cut off his GPS ankle bracelet and fled from his San Diego home. According to Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Omar Castillo, when law enforcement arrived nearly seven hours after the monitor was removed, no security guards were present.

Castillo stated that neighbors reported seeing moving trucks at the residence one or two days prior to Francis' escape.

Authorities issued a red notice and offered a $40,000 reward for his arrest.

Francis had a stopover in Cuba on his way to Mexico, and from there, he escaped to Venezuela, Interpol Venezuela Director General Carlos Garate Rondon said in a statement on Instagram.

On Tuesday, Francis was detained and arrested in the country's main international airport after attempting to catch a flight to Russia.

There is no immediate word on when Francis will be extradited to face sentencing. Law enforcement cooperation between the United States and Venezuela is uncommon, but Director General Rondon reported Wednesday that Francis would be handed over to authorities to begin the extradition process.