WILSON – Kansas Highway Patrol troopers apprehended Wednesday morning near Wilson the suspect in a Pratt shooting who was also wanted for two murders in Mississippi.
Arrested was Alex Deaton, 28, who had led law enforcement officers on a multi-state chase that included Oklahoma and New Mexico before he wound up in Kansas. He was sought in connection with the murder of his girlfriend and another woman in Mississippi last week, and a subsequent carjacking in New Mexico.
At approximately 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, the KHP attempted to stop an eastbound black Cadillac on I-70, around milepost 191, by Dorrance. It matched the description of an attempt-to-locate broadcast following a shooting at a Pratt convenience store earlier in the morning. According to a KHP news release, Deaton did not stop, and fled eastbound at a high rate of speed. Spike sticks were successfully deployed at 7:57 a.m.
The driver took the Wilson exit, milepost 205, and drove approximately one mile south, towards the town of Wilson. KHP troopers, not wanting Deaton to enter Wilson, utilized tactical vehicle intervention to successfully end the pursuit at 8 a.m.
After the vehicle crashed and caught on fire, Deaton was immediately placed under arrest with no further incident. There were no injuries to KHP personnel or to Deaton.
Charges are pending through multiple county courts in multiple states.
Deaton remains in custody at the Ellsworth County Jail.
Background
A nationwide manhunt was launched to find Deaton after his girlfriend was found dead last Friday in Rankin County, Miss., near Jackson, Miss., and a jogger was shot and killed near the girlfriend’s apartment, according to information from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office.
He fled in a GMC Arcadia SUV belonging to his girlfriend. Authorities believe the GMC was spotted in Tulsa, Okla., Saturday morning.
Deaton was spotted in Albuquerque, N.M., Tuesday night, where he allegedly carjacked a couple there. The couple was able to escape but the male victim sustained a gunshot wound.
Deaton escaped in their Honda Accord, police said. The female victim was locked in the trunk, but was able to free herself.
It was there authorities recovered the GMC Arcadia.
Police say Deaton was next seen in Kansas when the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Dept. became involved in a pursuit with the stolen Honda Accord. They successfully stopped the vehicle with stop sticks, but Deaton managed to run away.
Deaton then allegedly entered a Pratt convenience store at approximately 4:15 a.m. and held the store clerk at gunpoint, retrieved the clerk’s car keys, and shot him, fleeing in a black Cadillac CTS. The clerk was in critical condition.
He next tangled with the KHP near Dorrance.
Local and federal authorities had offered a reward up to $32,500 for information leading to his capture. Deaton is also a person of interest in a third killing in Mississippi.
