Investigators in North Carolina turned to wildlife‐camera footage and a drone to locate and arrest a man suspected in the fatal shooting of a Virginia sheriff’s deputy, according to a release from the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation.
The suspect, 55‑year‑old Michael Puckett, was found with a firearm on Sunday night, two days after the shooting that occurred during a welfare check in Carroll County, Virginia. Authorities spotted him on a wildlife camera in Surry County and used aerial surveillance to track his movements, leading to his arrest while he was ringing a doorbell within several miles of the state line.
Warrants were executed without a bond, and Puckett waived the right to a court‑appointed lawyer at his extradition hearing on Monday. He will be transported to Virginia for further proceedings, state officials said.
In the shooting, a man at a home began firing and two sheriff’s deputies returned fire, killing a 31‑year‑old veteran deputy named Logan Utt. Two other deputies were wounded, but one was in a ballistic vest and recovered; the other was injured in his vehicle. The incident occurred after a welfare‑check request was made by a family member. Information about the suspect’s motive or other persons at the scene has yet to be released by authorities.
Deputy Utt was a veteran who joined the department in 2023. His funeral procession is scheduled for Monday afternoon, traveling from Roanoke, Virginia, to Mount Airy, where he had served as a firefighter. Law enforcement officials described him as a “servant’s heart” who cared for others, his country, and his family.
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