School near Roanoke, Virginia, have been closed after the vehicle associated with a member of the U.S. Marine Corps wanted in a fatal shooting was found in the area.
Authorities have been searching for 22-year-old Michael Alexander Brown since Sunday, when he was named as a suspect in the shooting death of Hardy, Virginia, resident Rodney Brown, 54, the day before.
Michael Alexander Brown is the son of Rodney Brown’s live-in girlfriend, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 4 a.m. Thursday morning, emergency dispatchers in Roanoke received a 911 call detailing a suspicious man dressed in a black lace-linked coat in the area near Tillett Road, Roanoke Police Chief Tim Jones told reporters at a news conference.
Franklin County Sheriffs Office
Investigators later confirmed that the man was likely Michael Alexander Brown and located his RV on Tillett Road, Jones said.
The U.S. Marshals service had previously received information that he may be operating the RV and pulling an enclosed trailer in the area of Clarendon County, South Carolina. The trailer was located in South Carolina on Sunday night with the black 2008 Lincoln Town Car he had previously been thought to be driving inside.
The Marine is now likely on foot or searching for alternative modes of transportation, as all of the vehicles he would have access to have been cleared, Jones said.
Michael Alexander Brown was serving as a combat engineer for the United States Marine Corps until around Oct. 18, when he deserted his post at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He had been seen in around Franklin County in recent weeks, according to authorities.
He has access to weapons, including those with high-capacity magazines, and “knows how to maneuver his way around various types of terrain,” Jones said.
U.S. Marshals
It is unknown where he may be headed, but he has been known to live in the woods or visit national parks, authorities said.
Jones cautioned residents in the area to remain vigilant and try to shelter in place, if possible.
Franklin County authorities have issued an arrest warrant for second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for him.
The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
ABC News;’ Ahmad Hemingway, Luis Martinez and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.
