Shameful ex North Carolina The police chief, who faces nearly 90 charges of stealing weapons, drugs and money from the evidence room, has been found hiding in a creek after authorities say he tried to falsify his own death. while he was at large.
William Spivey, 36, who previously headed the Chadburn Police Department, was detained Thursday near Loris, South Carolina, four days after failing to return from fishing on the Lumber River in North Carolina and was reported missing.
Spivey, who is accused, among other things, of embezzling state property, destroying evidence, obstructing justice and opium trafficking, was due to appear in court this week, but failed.
Police have arrested fugitive former police chief William Spivey, 36, after he was found hiding underwater in a small Carolina countryside early Thursday
Spivey was arrested after allegedly simulating his own death to avoid charges of nearly 90 crimes involving theft of money, weapons and drugs.
On the day Spivey was due to appear in court, police found his boat abandoned on the Lumber River in South Carolina (pictured). A suicide note was found inside
Authorities found Spivey’s boat abandoned on the river and retrieved Spivey’s death note. Inside the ship was a .22 caliber rifle with a diluted cartridge.
“Investigators quickly concluded that the evidence gathered did not support a suicide scenario,” according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Three days later, the Hori County Police Department received a report showing that Spivey was hiding in his aunt’s apartment outside Loris.
As police approached the fugitive, police said the former boss had fled to a nearby forest, where he was eventually found hiding in a creek.
Diving teams search the river for missing Chadburn former police chief, but can’t find him
Brevy Rowell, Spivey’s aunt, said he stayed with her because he committed suicide
Spivey tried to escape, but was captured and arrested after a physical fight shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday.
Spivey’s aunt, Brenda Rowell, said WECT that she did not know that her nephew had missed appearing in court and had gone mad.
She claims that Spivey called her last Sunday, saying he had combat problems and committed suicide.
Spivey faces 88 charges of embezzlement, including embezzlement, destruction of evidence, obstruction of justice and opium trafficking.
Rowell said she urged her nephew not to commit suicide and invited him to stay at her home for several nights.
The woman defended the disgraced ex-cop, suggesting he was set up by Columbus County police.
“They told me different stories, but I know and I will say that he is not a drug addict, as they say. “The Columbus County cops are doing it wrong,” Rowell told the station.
In April 2021, Spivey was fired following an investigation into misconduct by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
He was eventually charged with 88 counts of felony counts of stealing thousands of dollars in cash, various drugs and five firearms from the Chadburn Police Department’s evidence room, which he later allegedly sold to friends and family.
In June, Spivey was accused of embezzling $ 8,000 to a family that lost a son to leukemia.
Spivey was fired in the spring of 2021 after an investigation into misconduct by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
After spending two months in prison, Spivey was released after posting a $ 500,000 bail.
Last month, Spivey was re-arrested for allegedly stealing catalytic converters from a car repair shop in Tabor City, where he was hired as a mechanic.
The district attorney’s office tried to keep Spivey in jail pending trial, arguing that he posed a threat to the community, but was released again.
Spivey was due to return to court earlier this month, but did not appear, claiming to have COVID.
The hearing was adjourned until Monday, but Spivey did not appear again. His lawyer told a judge that his client had disappeared and may have committed suicide.
During his time as Chadburn’s top cop, Spivey claimed to have stolen money, drugs and five firearms from the evidence room and embezzled $ 8,000 from the family of a leukemia patient.
After Spivey’s boat was found on the Lumber River, diving crews searched the waters but found his body. K-9 dogs and sonar equipment were used to search for the fugitive.
“As investigators collected video from surveillance systems and conducted interviews, it became even more apparent that the river scene had been staged,” officials said.
Following his dramatic arrest near Loris on Thursday, Spivey, who has 40 unfulfilled non-appearance orders for a total of $ 1 million, was placed in the Hore County Jail to await extradition back to North Carolina.