Authorities in North Carolina used a wildlife game camera image and a drone to locate and arrest a man wanted for the fatal shooting of a Virginia sheriff's deputy, officials said. The suspect, Michael Puckett, 55, was found with a gun on Sunday night as he rang the doorbell of a home in Surry County, North Carolina, less than several miles from the Virginia state line. He was arrested and booked without bond, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
The shooting occurred on Friday after the Carroll County Sheriff's Office received a request from a family member to conduct a welfare check. When deputies arrived, a man at the home opened fire, and the two deputies returned fire. Both deputies were hit, and the suspect fled. Other occupants in the home were unharmed, said Sheriff Kevin Kemp.
Deputy Logan Utt, 31, was killed in the incident. The second deputy, struck in his ballistic vest, was recovering at home and in good condition. Utt, a military veteran, joined the department in 2023 and previously served as a firefighter in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
A massive search ensued, and on Sunday morning, police said the suspect was spotted on a wildlife game camera in Surry County. A drone was then used to track his movements, leading to his arrest. Puckett appeared for an extradition hearing on Monday, where he waived his right to a court-appointed lawyer and awaits transport to Virginia.
Sheriff Kemp described Utt as having a 'servant's heart,' adding, 'He cared for others, he cared for his country, he cared for his family.' A funeral procession was scheduled for Monday afternoon from Roanoke, Virginia, to Mount Airy.
