NORTH CAROLINA MURDER FUGITIVE FOUND ON NORTHBOUND BUS

(LAUREL, MD) – An allied law enforcement fugitive team, working with North Carolina law enforcement authorities, located and arrested a suspect wanted for murder who was on a bus headed into the region.

The accused is identified as Darius J. Smotherson, 19, of Kannapolis, North Carolina. He is wanted by the Kannapolis Police Department on a warrant for a murder that occurred on May 21, 2012 in that city.

Members of the Maryland State Police State Apprehension Team were contacted late yesterday by Kannapolis Police Department detectives who said their investigation indicated Smotherson may have taken a bus from Georgia and was possibly headed to the Baltimore area. The State Police State Apprehension Team enlisted the assistance of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Secret Service, State Police Drug Enforcement Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Fugitive investigators conducted surveillances at locations in Laurel and Baltimore where the bus might possibly stop.

At about 7:30 a.m. today, a passenger bus from Atlanta arrived at the northbound welcome center on I-95 near Rt. 32 in Laurel. Smotherson was observed getting off the bus with other passengers. He was taken into custody without incident.

Smotherson has been taken to the Maryland State Police Waterloo Barrack where he is being held on a fugitive warrant. Detectives from the Kannapolis Police Department are on their way to the barrack at this time to further their investigation and to initiate extradition proceedings.