A suspect sought in a 14-year-old slay case was busted last week in Florida — during a routine traffic stop for running a red light, authorities said.
Timothy Hickerson, 43, recently became the prime suspect in the 2010 murder of Shane Donahue, 23, in Nokesville, Va., and a warrant had been issued for his arrest, according to police.
Hickerson’s bust on a Florida road Tuesday was caught on police bodycam, which showed him first being ordered by officers with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office to get out of his white pickup truck after running a red light on Old Kings Road.
Hickerson looks shocked as police tell him he was not just being ticketed for running the red light but being arrested on outstanding warrants for second-degree murder and burglary.
“This shows there is no such thing as a simple traffic stop. This one ended with a fugitive meeting justice who was wanted for a murder that occurred more than 14 years ago,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said in a Facebook statement.
“If you’re a fugitive, we will catch you regardless of where you ran from and take you to jail,” Staly said.
Donohue was reported missing March 24, 2010. He was last seen leaving his parents’ Nokesville home, but the case went cold shortly after, cops said.
Virginia investigators recently reopened Donohue’s case after detectives discovered evidence that Hickerson and Donahue were seen together leaving the victim’s parents’ house and returning to Donahue’s nearby residence.
The investigation also revealed Hickerson to be connected to a burglary in Donahue’s home days before his disappearance, according to police.
Donahue’s remains have not been located, but he is presumed dead by Virginia authorities.
Hickerson is a longtime resident of Palm Coast, Fla., according to police.
He will be held in Flagler County Jail until he can extradited to Virginia, cops said.
