Marine deserter who killed stepfather 'after discovering he wasn't his real dad' arrested after three weeks on the run
A 22-year-old marine deserter who was put on the FBI Most Wanted list earlier this week was finally arrested on Wednesday, three weeks after being on the run.
The man, identified as Michael Alexander Brown, is suspected of killing his stepfather after learning he was not his real father. Brown was reportedly arrested at his mother Vanessa Hanson's house in Hardy, Virginia, at 8am.
It is not yet clear how long had he been hiding there or whether the mother called the authorities or not. The house is reportedly the same where 54-year-old Rodney Brown was found dead on October 19. Reports state that Vanessa witnessed her son shooting Rodney before he fled.
The 22-year-old deserted his post in North Carolina a day before his stepfather's body was found. Brown evaded the authorities for nearly three weeks as he initially fled in an RV and then later used a black car.
The residents of Roanoke town panicked earlier this month after it was reported that Brown had been spotted in the area. Schools in the region were closed after an alert was issued regarding a "heavily-armed" fighter and residents stayed indoors, the Daily Mail reported.
US Marshals in Virginia announced on Wednesday morning that Brown had been arrested without incident, however, they refused to give additional details.
Sheriff Bill Overton Jr., during a press conference, said: "This has been an intense manhunt covering three states. I am thankful this situation has come to a successful closure without no injury to the public and law enforcement."
Brown's mother and grandmother Diane had pleaded for him to come home. "Michael, if you see this, please turn yourself in. I’m scared for you. I love you, baby. We will get you a lawyer. We will help you. I won’t leave you. Just please turn yourself in," the mother said in an interview. While his grandmother pleaded: "We still care about you. Nobody wants you hurt. We’ve been speaking with the authorities for a week and they’re willing to do anything to get you in safe. And they’re working with us and we trust them on this. Please, turn yourself in. Nobody wants to see you die, also."
Brown's lawyer, hired by his family, said that they were relieved he had been found alive. The marine deserter is suspected of traveling from Camp Lejeune, where he was posted, to Hardy — where his stepfather lived — to shoot him dead.
According to the neighbors, Brown had grown up thinking Rodney was his biological father and was only told about the truth recently.