Posted 10:56 pm Saturday, August 11, 2012
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Update: Greenhow nabbed in Tennessee near abandoned stolen vehicle
By Kenneth Dean
kdean@tylerpaper.com
Authorities in Tennessee captured accused killer Donny Lee Greenhow Friday morning and recovered a firearm believed to be linked to last week's double homicide in Ben Wheeler.
kdean@tylerpaper.com
Authorities in Tennessee captured accused killer Donny Lee Greenhow Friday morning and recovered a firearm believed to be linked to last week's double homicide in Ben Wheeler.
Van Zandt County District Attorney Chris Martin said Greenhow, who was being sought for the double homicide of 74-year-old Peter Shick and his 55-year-old wife Latricia, last week in Ben Wheeler, was captured Friday morning near the area where he abandoned the stolen vehicle he was driving Thursday morning.
Martin said he was told Greenhow was seen in the area Friday morning and law enforcement officials quickly responded and captured him without further incident.
“We have recovered a weapon that he had on his person when he was captured. That weapon is a .40 caliber handgun and that type of weapon matches the rounds found at our crime scene. My investigator has that gun in his possession now,” he said.
Martin said Greenhow may have traveled to the area to “take care of the people who wronged him,” including his father but was unsuccessful because his father had moved in the past few years.
The Shicks were found deceased in their mobile home last week after family members called in a welfare concern at the residence on County Road 4812 near Ben Wheeler.
Evidence at the scene, including the recovery of a stolen vehicle found at the home, led authorities to believe Greenhow was the main suspect in the case.
Authorities have said Greenhow allegedly stole the Shick's pickup and went to an acquaintance's home in Waco and stole that person's vehicle, which was the vehicle he was driving in Tennessee when he was spotted by law enforcement Thursday.
Authorities believed Greenhow was in the area, but when he left his identification at a Walmart in Ripley, Tenn., after he stole some fuel, all doubt was lifted and the search began.
Martin said if Greenhow fights extradition to Texas on the capital murder warrant he will ask for a governor's warrant, which would mandate Greenhow be transported back to Texas.
“He is being cooperative right now, and we hope to interview him shortly, but he always has the right to invoke his Fifth Amendment right,” he said.
“We have recovered a weapon that he had on his person when he was captured. That weapon is a .40 caliber handgun and that type of weapon matches the rounds found at our crime scene. My investigator has that gun in his possession now,” he said.
Martin said Greenhow may have traveled to the area to “take care of the people who wronged him,” including his father but was unsuccessful because his father had moved in the past few years.
The Shicks were found deceased in their mobile home last week after family members called in a welfare concern at the residence on County Road 4812 near Ben Wheeler.
Evidence at the scene, including the recovery of a stolen vehicle found at the home, led authorities to believe Greenhow was the main suspect in the case.
Authorities have said Greenhow allegedly stole the Shick's pickup and went to an acquaintance's home in Waco and stole that person's vehicle, which was the vehicle he was driving in Tennessee when he was spotted by law enforcement Thursday.
Authorities believed Greenhow was in the area, but when he left his identification at a Walmart in Ripley, Tenn., after he stole some fuel, all doubt was lifted and the search began.
Martin said if Greenhow fights extradition to Texas on the capital murder warrant he will ask for a governor's warrant, which would mandate Greenhow be transported back to Texas.
“He is being cooperative right now, and we hope to interview him shortly, but he always has the right to invoke his Fifth Amendment right,” he said.
