Manhunt Ends; Fugitives Found Asleep in Shed After Murder
Posted: Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 9:49 am
Salt Lake City, UT—A drug dealer who fatally shot a Utah Sheriff’s deputy, and who evaded a manhunt for the better part of a day, has been found asleep in a shed.
Roberto Miramontes Roman, 37, is accused of fatally shooting Deputy Josie Greathouse Fox, also 37.. After witnessing a midnight meeting on a remote strip of dirt road near the town of Delta, about 130 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Millard County Sheriff’s Sergeant Rhett Kimball suspected a drug deal. He radioed to Greathouse Fox, who then stopped one of the cars involved. Just minutes later, Kimball found Greathouse Fox fatally shot inside her vehicle.
In an ironic coincidence, authorities later learned that the man who was purchasing drugs from Roman was the slain woman’s brother, Ryan Greathouse. Greathouse admitted to meeting Roman and another man, Ruben Chavez, to make the drug deal. He identified the men and gave investigators Roman’s cell phone number, which they used to attempt to trace him.
The sheriff’s department and other area law enforcement units then converged upon a Salt Lake City home where Roman’s relatives were believed to live, but after a standoff which lasted for several hours, no one was found inside the house or in a shed or trailer also on the property. City police did seize an orange Corvette at the residence, the plates of which had been affixed to one of the cars seen by Sgt. Kimball, a Cadillac belonging to Chavez.
On Tuesday morning, a warrant was issued for Roman’s arrest, and Fourth District Court Judge Donald Eyre set bail at $50 million in cash.
Deputies for Beaver County, which is adjacent to Millard County, found both Roman and Chavez asleep in a shed around 8 a.m. Wednesday. The two fugitives were captured and turned over to Millard County authorities.
Roman will be charged with capital murder and tampering with evidence. Chavez will also be charged, although the nature of those charges is not yet known.
Josie Greathouse Fox was a five-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department. She leaves behind a husband and two children. Her brother, Ryan Greathouse, has not yet issued a statement with regards to his involvement with the case.
If he is convicted on the charge of murder, Roman could face the death penalty.
Bookmark This Article:
| del.icio.us: 
|
Digg: |
Technorati:
|
Newsvine: 
|
Reddit: 
|
Furl: 
|
|
| Stumble Upon: 
|
Yahoo!: |
Google:
|