BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — The Blount County Sheriff's Office said is relieved after announcing investigators had captured Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr., the man accused of fatally shooting a BCSO deputy and wounding another.
"You can't understand how excited I am today to announce today we arrested the man that murdered my deputy," Sheriff James Berrong said.
DeHart was taken into custody around 3:30 p.m. at a home in East Knoxville in the 2600 block of Linden Avenue, according to BCSO. He is accused of evading authorities for five days following the deadly shooting of Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan. The shooting also wounded another deputy, Shelby Eggers.
Deputies said the home was empty when they went in. Berrong said DeHart did not put up resistance when he was captured.
Deputies used McCowan's handcuffs to take DeHart into custody.
Berrong said he met with the family around 3:30 p.m. around the time they captured DeHart.
"I told when I came back and saw them tomorrow at one o'clock at the funeral, he would be in our jail if there were any way possible, and God willing and guess what... he is in our jail," he said.
You can watch the full press conference with the Blount County Sheriff's Office below:
How did they find DeHart?
Sheriff Berrong said DeHart was captured due to several leads investigators had developed, but did not specifically mention what those leads were.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch mentioned that certain pieces of technology helped them track down DeHart. Specifically, Rausch said cell phone technology helped them track him. When asked if DeHart's cell phone was the key, Rausch said "it helped."
"It's no secret... cell phone technology is critical in these kinds of cases," he said.
Rausch said investigators are now working to gather evidence and piece together what DeHart was doing during the five days he was on the run. He said the TBI has not confirmed yet if it has the weapon used in Thursday's shooting.
"Obviously we've had a number of tips," Rausch said. "Information is key in these investigations. Now we have to figure out all the space in between when we didn't have him in custody."
Berrong mentioned that they have reason to believe DeHart may have tried to escape East Tennessee into another state at one point, but said the investigation has not confirmed that yet.
Will anyone receive the $100,000+ reward?
Sheriff Berrong said the sheriff's office received a number of tips, but none of them pointed to the house they found DeHart at. He said it did not appear anyone would receive the more than $100,000 that was being offered as a reward for information leading to DeHart's capture.
Berrong did not say what would happen to the unclaimed reward money pool.
Berrong said the news came as a huge relief to his deputies, McCowan's family, and others who have been working tirelessly since Thursday to capture DeHart.
“Just watching them, and seeing their emotions, and what they have been through… we haven’t had time to grieve. We can now go to the funeral and grieve with the family,” Berrong said.
What happens next for DeHart?
DeHart was booked into the Blount County Jail initially but was then transferred to the Loudon County Jail. Berrong said he expects DeHart will be placed back in the Blount County Jail and may move back and forth between facilities as he moves through the legal system.
DeHart is next scheduled to appear in court on Thursday at 9 a.m.
As far as what fate DeHart could face, Berrong said he would want the death penalty if it were up to him -- but said that is up to McCowan's family and the District Attorney General in Blount County.
District Five Attorney General Ryan Desmond said he would be talking with the fallen deputy's family about the legal process and to hear their thoughts. He said he anticipates a decision will be made in the coming weeks on how they intend to prosecute DeHart.
Berrong said his office is expecting to release body camera and vehicle camera footage of the Feb. 8 shooting in the near future, but said he wants to talk to the family first and allow them to grieve. He said the footage is lengthy and will show people the "totality of the story."