By Trend News Line 2024-06-20 23:48:54.
The Beginning of the Manhunt
A two-day manhunt for a man suspected in three murders in Oklahoma and another in Alabama came to a dramatic end on Thursday with the arrest of Stacy Lee Drake in Arkansas. The hunt for Drake began on Tuesday evening in Oklahoma when Sequoyah County deputies responded to a report of two people found dead at a business in Gans. The victims were identified as Tara Underwood and Taylor Sharp, both of whom had injuries consistent with homicide.
Identification of the Suspect
With the assistance of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the sheriff’s office identified 50-year-old Stacy Lee Drake as the prime suspect in the murders. Drake had abandoned a truck in Sallisaw before walking into LaFerry’s Propane on Tuesday. Surveillance footage from the business showed him arriving and leaving in one of the victim’s cars, which was later found at a motel in Morrilton, Arkansas.
Arkansas State Police Involvement
Arkansas State Police picked up the trail on Wednesday, stating that Drake had been seen buying camping gear in Morrilton and was believed to still be in the area. The following day, he was captured in a wooded area near the intersection of University Boulevard and Poor Farm Road. After his arrest, police in El Reno, Oklahoma, revealed that Drake was also a suspect in a murder that took place on June 14. Additionally, he was wanted in Alabama for the murder of Russell Thomas Andrews, who was found dead in Tuscaloosa on May 14.
Possible Further Investigations
El Reno Police Chief Ken Brown stated that the discovery of Emerson’s missing truck in Sallisaw was a crucial piece of evidence that connected Drake to the crime. Furthermore, Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy mentioned that investigators are now looking into the possibility of Drake being responsible for more deaths. Kennedy highlighted Drake’s history of escalating violent behaviour as a cause for concern.
Legal Ramifications
Drake has been charged with the murders of Underwood and Sharp in Sequoyah County, as well as the murder of Russell Thomas Andrews in Alabama. However, he has not yet been charged in connection with the June 14 murder in El Reno. The investigation continues as authorities delve deeper into Drake’s criminal past and potential involvement in other unsolved cases.
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