STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – A routine retail fraud investigation at a Sterling Heights Walmart led to the capture of a Tennessee double murder suspect who had been evading authorities for months.
Dashonn Moten, 28, of Detroit, was arrested Saturday, Jan. 10, after attempting to flee from Sterling Heights police officers who were working a special detail at the Walmart store near 14 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue.
“Every time we are dealing with someone, we don’t know who they are, we don’t know where they came from, we don’t know what they were involved in before our interaction,” Sterling Heights Police Capt. Mario Bastianelli said.
Chase and Capture
The incident began around 3 p.m. when officers attempted to assist store loss prevention with apprehending a shoplifting suspect. The suspect took off, leading officers on a chase through the parking lot and into neighboring areas.
During the pursuit, Moten attempted to evade capture by running through wooded areas and removing layers of clothing to change his appearance. Officers established a perimeter and deployed a K-9 unit to track him.
Police eventually spotted Moten crossing Van Dyke Avenue. When officers attempted to take him into custody, he allegedly resisted and engaged in a physical altercation that left two Sterling Heights police officers with minor injuries.
Tennessee Murder Charges
Following the arrest, investigators discovered Moten was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service for a November shooting that claimed two lives on Interstate 640 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
A Knox County grand jury had indicted him on 17 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of felony murder in the deaths of Troy Hutchison, 33, and Rodrell Jeter, 25.
The indictment also includes one count of attempted first-degree murder for critically injuring a 22-year-old man in the same incident.
Police Chief’s Response
Sterling Heights Police Chief Andy Satterfield praised his officers’ efforts in apprehending the suspect.
“This incident highlights how unpredictable and dangerous the job of a law enforcement officer can be,” Satterfield said. “Our officers sustained injuries due to this suspect’s failure to comply and his decision to physically fight with police. I am extremely proud of our officers’ efforts to pursue the suspect, utilize our resources, and ultimately capture a very dangerous individual who was wanted for murder.”
Moten now faces local charges in Sterling Heights related to the retail fraud incident and his resistance to arrest. He will need to address these charges before being extradited to Tennessee to face the murder charges.