| February 27, 2008 |
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| Murder in Jonas Ridge; Suspect
Still on the Loose |
| Darrell
Buchanan fired on officer, Sheriff states |
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Law enforcement officers
from across the Piedmont are searching for a man who allegedly killed his
ex-wife's boyfriend last night, then shot at an Avery County deputy who was
arriving on the scene.
Darrell Wayne Buchanan (right), 47, of 157 Baldview Mountain Lane, Newland,
reportedly ran into the woods with a rifle shortly after the deputy arrived to
discover Thurman Ray Hudson, 49, lying dead or injured on the porch of his
residence. |
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| According to Burke
County Sheriff John T. McDevitt, his SWAT team, along with SWAT teams from
Morganton, Hickory, and Avery County are searching for Buchanan, along with
numerous officers and detectives. |
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| McDevitt said
that authorities received a 911 call last night from 6775 Highway 183,
Jonas Ridge, in which a heated domestic was taking place. |
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| A few minutes later,
Burke County Emergency Services dispatched an ambulance to the residence
because someone was reportedly shot or stabbed. |
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| Burke County
telecommunicators requested the Avery County Sheriff's Office to assist a Burke
County deputy who was responding to the call, the Sheriff said. |
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| Burke County Detective
Lt. Becky Brendle stated that when Avery County Sgt. Mike Ellenburg arrived on
the scene, he was flagged down by a woman driving a Jeep. The woman, later
identified as Lola Mae Carpenter Buchanan, 40, was accompanied by Darrell
Buchanan, her ex-husband, in the passenger seat. |
| |
| "She screamed to the
deputy, 'He's going to kill me!'" Brendle said, and the deputy saw Buchanan
holding a long rifle. "The woman told Sgt. Ellenburg that the man would kill
him, too, and Ellenburg saw Buchanan point the rifle at him" |
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| Ellenburg attempted to
drive away for cover, and heard one shot, Brendle said. As the deputy attempted
to turn his patrol car around and pursue the Jeep, he allegedly saw Darrell
Buchanan exit the passenger side of the vehicle and fire several shots into his
patrol car. |
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| Ellenburg was not hit,
but was slightly injured from glass as bullets penetrated the rear window and
struck other objects inside the vehicle, Brendle stated. It was unclear how
many shots penetrated the patrol vehicle. |
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| Darrell Buchanan got
back into the Jeep and Lola Buchanan pulled into her driveway, according to
Brendle. Ellenburg, along with Burke County Deputy Scott Bray who arrived on
the scene, followed the Jeep. |
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| "That's when Darrell
Buchanan ran behind the mobile home with the rifle," Brendle said. |
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| Two 11-year old boys
were in the yard as Ellenburg and Bray arrived, and were yelling "He shot him!
He shot him"," Brendle said. The two deputies then saw Hudson lying on the
porch. |
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| The deputies moved Lola
Buchanan, the two boys, and Hudson from the scene to protect them, and other
officers began arriving to assist, Brendle said. Brendle said the two twins
were identified later as Hudson's children. |
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| Thurman Hudson was
pronounced dead a short time later, Brendle stated. |
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| Authorities set up a
command post and have had personnel working throughout the night, but no
sighting of Buchanan has occurred, said Brendle. |
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| Buchanan is considered
extremely dangerous, according to McDevitt. He was released from prison on July
5, 2007 after spending a year incarcerated for assault with a deadly weapon on
government officers, and speeding to elude arrest. Those offenses occurred in
Avery County. |
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| Court records also show
convictions in 1985 for selling a schedule VI drug, resisting arrest, and
DWI. |
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| Buchanan is described as
6"1', 235 lbs., with gray hair and wearing a white ball cap and brown
coveralls. He also has several distinctive tattoos which include a dagger with
"Lola" on his left arm, and two eagles on his right arm. One of the eagles
displays a Harley emblem, and the other has "USMC" (United States Marine Corp).
|
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| Anyone having contact
with Buchanan or knowing his whereabouts should contact the Burke County
Sheriff's Office at (828) 438-5500. |
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| *********************************************************** |
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