The Hardeman County Sheriff's Office is asking residents in southern Hardeman County to stay alert and lock up after a wanted subject described as armed and dangerous was last seen on foot near the intersection of Highway 18 South and Van Buren Road. Deputies describe the man as roughly 6 feet 1 inch tall and about 195 pounds, and they're urging anyone who spots him not to approach or confront him directly.
According to a public safety alert posted by the Hardeman County Sheriff's Office on Facebook Wednesday evening, the office says the man should be considered armed and dangerous. Deputies are actively searching for him, and his name and the underlying charges have not been released. The sheriff's office says anyone with information should call 911 or contact the sheriff's office directly, and it is asking the public to share the alert to help spread the word. Residents near the search area are being told to remain alert, secure their homes and vehicles, and report any suspicious activity right away.
Where the Search Is Centered
Highway 18 South and Van Buren Road sit along a rural corridor in southern Hardeman County that links the county seat of Bolivar with the community of Grand Junction, according to the Bolivar Bulletin-Times. Hardeman County itself is a rural West Tennessee county that also includes the towns of Toone, Whiteville and Middleton, governed by a county mayor and board of commissioners, per the same paper. The area's low population density and open acreage can make foot searches for wanted subjects more difficult for deputies to control.
TBI Guidance For 'Armed and Dangerous' Alerts
When law enforcement labels a suspect armed and dangerous, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says the public should avoid any physical confrontation and instead report sightings immediately through 911. That guidance mirrors exactly what Hardeman County deputies are telling residents near Highway 18 South this week.
Sheriff Doolen's Office Has Managed Recent Manhunts Before
Hardeman County Sheriff John Doolen, who was first elected in 2010 and won a fourth term in 2022, was later chosen as vice president of Division IV for the Tennessee Sheriffs' Association in August 2024, according to the Bolivar Bulletin-Times. His office has handled fast-moving searches before, including an inmate's patrol-car escape in January that ended with a recapture within 90 minutes. In July, the office also revived a decades-old case, offering a $24,000 reward tied to a 1998 murder in Bolivar that remains unsolved.
Search Remains Active
As of Wednesday evening, the sheriff's office had not announced an arrest and said it would provide updates as more information becomes available. The office is also asking anyone in the community to share its public safety alert to help widen the reach of the search for the wanted subject near Highway 18 South and Van Buren Road.
