A search in Wisconsin's Northwoods is ramping up after a man wanted in a Milwaukee homicide was spotted in Vilas County and then took off running from deputies, officials say. Vilas County deputies report that 40-year-old Michael Garcia Carroll Jr. was seen June 24 at a business near State Highway 70 and U.S. Highway 51 in Arbor Vitae and fled when officers made contact. Carroll is wanted in connection with a Milwaukee homicide that occurred on June 18 and remains the focus of an active investigation. Authorities have warned the public not to approach him and to report tips to local sheriff's offices.
Spotted in Arbor Vitae, investigators say
As reported by FOX6, the Vilas County Sheriff's Office told reporters that deputies from both Vilas and Oneida counties made contact with Carroll at the Arbor Vitae business before he ran away. The sheriff's office said Carroll may currently be in either Vilas County or Oneida County and is considered dangerous. According to the outlet, the Milwaukee Police Department is leading the homicide investigation tied to the June 18 incident.
Suspect description and warning
The Vilas County Sheriff's Office describes Carroll as about 6 feet 2 inches tall and roughly 211 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, and says he is 40 years old. The office has urged anyone who sees him not to make contact and to let law enforcement handle any sightings. Investigators have not released additional details about the Milwaukee homicide while detectives continue to follow leads.
How to report tips
Anyone with information should contact the Vilas County Sheriff's Office tip line at 800-472-7290 or its dispatch at 715-479-4441, or call the Oneida County Sheriff's Office at 715-361-5201. The Oneida County number appears in the Wisconsin DNR's public directory of county contacts. If you believe you have immediate information about the suspect’s whereabouts, do not approach him, call 911 and provide the tip to law enforcement.
Where this was seen and why it matters
Arbor Vitae sits in the Northwoods near Minocqua, roughly 250 miles north of Milwaukee, and the sheriff's request has put small lake-country communities on alert, FOX6 reported. Officials told reporters that the area's rural roads and seasonal traffic patterns can complicate searches, so tips from residents can be critical. Milwaukee police continue to investigate the underlying homicide and have asked anyone with information to come forward to the proper authorities.
