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Suspected Michael Vance Accomplices Arrested; More Details Of Shooting Spree Emerge

Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel speaks at a Michael Vance press conference on Oct. 31, 2016
Kate Carlton Greer
/
KGOU
Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel

Editor's Note: Since this post was originally published, authorities have apprehended a third suspect related to the Michael Vance case. Danny Roach, Reginald Moore and April Harden are now all in custody at the Oklahoma County Jail. This post now reflects those updates. 

 

The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office provided more details Monday about last week’s statewide manhunt that culminated with the suspect’s death Sunday in western Oklahoma. Three more suspects have also been apprehended, accused of aiding and abetting Michael Vance during a crime spree that spanned the state.

 

Michael Vance was shot and killed Sunday evening by Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers after he shot Dewey County Sheriff Clay Sander, who had responded to a report that Vance was in the area, The Oklahoman’s Juliana Keeping reports:

 

Sander saw a large flatbed pickup dragging a chain and worried the sparks would ignite a wildfire. He pulled the pickup over. It was Vance, who fired with an assault rifle and hit the sheriff in the shoulder and arm before heading southbound on State Highway 34, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Vance turned east and crossed into Custer County, [Custer County Sheriff Bruce] Peoples said. Sander is recovering from his injuries.

During a Monday press conference at the Oklahoma County Jail, Sheriff John Whetsel announced Danny Roach had been charged with two counts of being an accessory to felony murder after the fact, two counts of possessing a firearm after a felony conviction and shooting with intent to kill. Arrest warrants were issued for an additional two suspects believed to have also assisted Vance. The Sheriff's Office says April Harden was arrested Monday night on a complaint of being an accessory to murder. The third suspect, Reginald Moore, was booked on that same complaint early Tuesday morning.

 

Credit Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office
Reginald Moore

“Roach admitted he was aware Vance had just been in a shootout with law enforcement and he also knew that Vance had just killed two people,” Whetsel said.

Whetsel says Roach gave shooting suspect Michael Vance additional ammunition for an assault rifle and swapped guns when Vance came to his Oklahoma City home on October 23.

"He traded Vance a different AK-47 rifle with a shorter barrel that would provide him a better tactical advantage, and he traded that for the AK-47 rifle that had been used in the shootings in Wellston and in Luther," Whetsel said.

Roach also told authorities he provided Vance with medical bandages to treat gunshot wounds from that shootout. Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers shot and killed Michael Vance over the weekend after weeklong manhunt that stretched across the state.

During a press conference Monday, Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel said there were many unanswered questions and that the case was “still wide open.”

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol will release dashboard-camera video Tuesday depicting the car chase and deadly gun battle with Vance that took place Sunday about 130 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

Authorities believe Vance had been camping in a remote area near the town of Hammon.

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Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
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