Stacy Lee Drake Captured in Morrilton, Arkansas
Stacy Lee Drake, a 50-year-old man from Alabama, has been arrested in Morrilton, Arkansas, after a multi-state manhunt, suspected of committing at least four murders across Oklahoma and Alabama.
Law enforcement agencies, including Morrilton police and the Arkansas State Police, apprehended Drake on Thursday morning outside a motel in Morrilton, where he had been spotted on Tuesday night. The capture came after an emergency alert was sent to the local population, warning them to be on the lookout for a dangerous individual.
State Role in Multiple Murders
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) named Drake a person of interest in two sequent carjackings that resulted in three Oklahoma homicides. He was also suspected in the murder of Russell Thomas Andrews in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on May 14.
In the Oklahoma cases, bodies of Tara Barnett Underwood and Taylor Sharp were found at a propane gas store in Sequoyah County, while Phillip Emerson’s death in El Reno was initially investigated as an “unattended death” before being classified as a homicide.
Prior Background and Warnings Issued
Before the arrest, authorities warned the public that Drake was considered armed and dangerous, with federal convictions for carjacking and illegal transportation of firearms. His transient lifestyle, use of false names, and tendency to alter his appearance made him difficult to track.
Fort Smith, Arkansas, residents were particularly urged to be cautious, as Drake may have had ties to the area. Local police departments across multiple states collaborated to find and capture Drake, who was eventually tracked down in Morrilton.
Community Reaction and Apprehension
The town of Morrilton experienced a heightened state of alert as news of Drake’s presence spread. Residents were advised to lock doors and stay indoors until he was captured. Upon his capture, Morrilton Mayor Allen Lipsmeyer expressed relief, crediting the police force for their efforts in apprehending the suspect without any further incidents.
The community was left to process the shock of having such a dangerous individual in their midst, with one local resident recalling that everybody locked their doors and stayed indoors until Drake was caught.
