A man wanted for a 2010 cold-case murder in Virginia was apprehended by authorities in Florida after a traffic violation, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. Timothy Hickerson, 43, had been residing in Palm Coast since last year and was stopped for running a red light at the intersection of Old Kings Road and Frenora Lane. It was during this traffic stop on Tuesday that deputies discovered there was a warrant for his arrest in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Shane Donahue.
Donahue was last seen more than a decade ago, and despite never locating his remains, Virginia authorities presumed him dead and the investigation had grown cold, as WFLA reported. However, the case saw new life as detectives in Virginia obtained fresh information prompting them to reactivate the inquiry into Donahue's disappearance, Hickerson was implicated due to sightings of him leaving the vicinity of Donahue’s home before and after the victim went missing, and he was also connected to a burglary at Donahue’s home days before his disappearance.
The arrest exemplifies the unforeseen consequences of routine police stops, as Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly stated, "This shows there is no such thing as a simple traffic stop,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly stated in a release. “This one ended with a fugitive meeting justice who was wanted for a murder that occurred more than 14 years ago," in a statement obtained by The News-Journal. Hickerson is currently held at the Flagler County jail as he awaits extradition to face charges of second-degree murder and burglary in Virginia.
Sheriff Staly who stated that no matter how far or long someone runs, if you’re a fugitive, "we will catch you regardless of where you ran from and take you to jail," a sentiment captured in a report by WESH.
