Murder fugitive captured
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 18, 2000
Nearly seven months after the murder of Frederick "Freddie Pig" Thompson at his residence at 602 South Park St. in late March, a suspect authorities have been pursuing since that day is now in custody, without bond.
Greenville Police Chief Lonzo Ingram said that this case was resolved due to "inter-agency" cooperation.
"A joint investigative effort by the Greenville Police Department and the Butler County Sheriff Department has resulted in the arrest of Demetrius Carter, 24 years old, of Greenville for the murder of Thompson," Ingram said.
"On the day of the murder, Greenville Police Captain Danny Campbell and Chief Deputy Kenny Harden got into a foot-pursuit with Carter," Ingram said.
Sheriff Diane Harris said that Harden stopped pursuit when Carter dropped something.
"While Carter was running, he fell near a driveway on World Street. Getting back up, he dropped a large bag of marijuana, and leaving it behind, continued to evade capture," she said.
"Chief Harden signed a warrant on Carter for possession of marijuana, first degree," she said.
"During this time, Captain Winston Fussell, investigative division commander was continuing the investigation on the Thompson murder," Ingram said.
"During the course of investigating Carter's whereabouts, we learned that his wife, Erica Bundy Carter was with him, and might be in grave danger," said Harris. "We issued posters and announcements on the Carters all over this region of the country, and kept getting reports of their whereabouts, but they remained one step ahead of us for nearly seven months."
"We received a call that Carter was in Prichard, and just before local authorities arrived at the location where he reportedly was, Carter again fled," Harris said.
After remaining by Carter's side during this time, Erica Bundy Carter returned home to her mother's residence. "Erica called our office, and said she would speak to Chief Harden, but not to anyone else, so he went to meet with her," Harris said. "And then, on Monday evening, Carter's father drove him to a deputy's home where he turned himself in on the warrant of possession of marijuana, first degree," Harris said.
"After consultation with the District Attorney's office, Captain Fussell signed a warrant against Carter for murder," Chief Ingram said. "He (Fussell) then went to the Lowndes County Jail in Hayneville, where Carter was being held for safety and security reasons, and executed the warrant for murder, and Carter was transported back to Butler County by Greenville officers, where he made his initial appearance in court," Ingram said.
"When Carter appeared before the judge, he was ordered to be held without bond, and we transported him back to Lowndes County Jail," Ingram said.
"Due in part to the fact that relatives of the victim (Thompson) are currently incarcerated in the Butler County Jail, coupled with the risk of Carter taking flight, we have arranged for him to housed under maximum security in Lowndes County," said Harris.