Weeklong manhunt ends with 2 arrests

Published 2:32 pm Friday, July 6, 2018

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A Chilton County Sheriff’s Office manhunt that commenced on June 29 has concluded with the arrests of 29-year-olds Johnathan Scott Kelley and Michelle Pauline Moore.

Kelley and Moore were apprehended together on foot in woods near Oakley Station Road in Bibb County on July 5.

CCSO made the arrest without incident, and both subjects have been reportedly cooperative.

Kelley and Moore face two charges each for receiving stolen property in the first degree, as well as charges for possession of marijuana in the second degree and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kelley is additionally charged with attempting to elude law enforcement, reasonable and prudent speeding, reckless driving and improper headlight usage.

Probable additional charges by CCSO and other agencies are pending for both subjects as investigation continues.

Kelley and Moore had been on the run for alleged involvement in vehicle thefts and suspected shots fired at police — an incident which initiated a manhunt early morning on June 29 when the subjects fled on foot after firing shots from a stuck, stolen truck at the tail-end of a police chase, according to CCSO.

The prior vehicle pursuit took off when Kelley and Moore allegedly fled a Jemison officer who had arrived at the County Road 51 overpass to investigate a report of rocks being thrown at vehicles below, reportedly striking a UPS truck but causing no injury to the driver.

The subjects’ involvement in the rock-throwing incident remains under investigation, since current information suggests Kelley’s and Moore’s presence on the overpass to be coincidental.

CCSO thanks Jemison Police Department, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and K-9 unit, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Clanton Police Department and all others who assisted in the pursuit and capture of Kelley and Moore.

“I’m proud of all our investigators and their hard work and for everyone that was involved, for everything they’ve done getting these two in custody without any kind of incident or anything like that, or letting anybody get hurt,” Sheriff John Shearon of CCSO said. “That was great teamwork on everybody’s part.”