By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Stewart County, Tenn.—Henry County Sheriff Monte Belew described the moments when he and Cpl Stacey Bostwick captured suspected killer and arsonist Kirby Wallace this morning after a seven day manhunt involving multiple agencies from all over the region and state.
Belew and Bostwick appeared this morning at a press conference along with Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson and Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray, along with officials from the TBI and THP.
Belew said he and Bostwick were contacted by Gray around 12:30 a.m. this morning after the credible sighting of Wallace earlier in the morning. “We shot back over here,” Belew said, and began running a track with Bostwick’s bloodhound Rowdy.
Belew, Bostwick and seven other deputies had been working 12-13 hours the day before and several other days before that.
“We had an area we deemed a hot zone,” Belew said, “and Stacey and I actually shot ahead a little of the hot zone and found two deer stands.”
Both Bostwick and Belew got up in the deer stands to get into elevated positions where they could see the whole field. “I saw someone move to my right,” Belew said, and Wallace walked within 40 feet of Belew. “It was close enough I could identify him.”
Belew said when Wallace was 25 feet away, “I drew down on him with my AR 15” and told him to stop. Belew said at first Wallace was cooperative, but then got behind a tree and when he came out from the tree, he had his hands around his waist.
Belew again told him to stop “and luckily, he put his hands up and got down on his knees”. Bostwick approached with his gun and Wallace was placed face down on the ground.
“We cuffed him together and found he had a loaded hand gun in his waist band,” Belew said. Wallace told them that it had crossed his mind to start shooting at them “but he decided we had the better of him.”
Belew said all the law enforcement involved in the manhunt are tired “and we’re just glad he’s in custody. Everyone made an all out effort and Stacey and I were just lucky to get him. We were in the right place at the right time.”
Bostwick said, “I’m glad we could bring closure to the community.”
Earlier in the press conference, Stewart Co. Sheriff Frankie Gray was emotional in describing the assistance his department has received from other agencies during the ordeal, which began last week.
He noted he had just begun serving as sheriff in September “and I’m finding out now how tight knit sheriffs are with each other. I hope I can be half the sheriff as these guys,” referring to Belew and Montgomery Co. Sheriff John Fuson.
Wallace was taken to the Montgomery County Jail after being checked out by medical personnel.
Wallace is accused of killing two people and injuring two more during violent home invasions in Montgomery and Stewart Counties. After the Stewart County home invasion, he set fire to the victims’ home.
From left at press conference, Bostwick, Stewart Co. Sheriff Frankie Gray, Henry Co. Sheriff Monte Belew.
THP photo of the capture.
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