Chaos erupts when Lee County deputies detain wrong person at funeral in 30-year-old cold case
>> NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL
NEWS. THIS IS WRAL.
>> CHAOS AT A PLACE OF MOURNING
LEE COUNTY DEPUTIES THIS
EVENING ARE FACING INTENSE
CRITICISM AFTER THEY TRIED TO
ARREST A MAN DURING A FUNERAL.
THEY BELIEVED HE WAS TIED TO A
MURDER NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO,
BUT TURNS OUT IT WAS THE WRONG
GUY. THANKS FOR JOINING US.
I'M LENA TILLETT AND I'M DAN
HAGGERTY. THE WHOLE THING WAS
CAUGHT ON CAMERA. THIS IS A
PORTION OF THE VIDEO HERE.
>> YOU SEE THIS IS GATHERED.
HUNDREDS OF USED ONE OF THE
DEPUTY MOVES AND THE MAN
GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE
THERE WHILE IN HANDCUFFS WRAL'S
CARLY HAYNES HAS BEEN LOOKING
INTO THIS FOR US. CARLY IKE, I
CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW THE PEOPLE
THE FAMILY INVOLVED IN THIS
FEELS ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.
>> UPSET AND THEY ARE CONFUSED.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAID THEY
WAITED FOR THE FUNERAL TO END
AND THEN TRIED TO STOP THE
CROWD AS THEY WERE COMING FROM
THE CEMETERY OVER TO THE
PARKING LOT.
>> IT STARTED AS A FUNERAL
SERVICE AND ENDED LIKE THIS.
>> IT WAS MOST RIVERS BY I WAS
SAYING YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A
KID. HE TOOK THIS VIDEO CROWD
TRIES TO STOP A LEE COUNTY
DEPUTIES FROM BRINGING SOMEONE
INTO CUSTODY. THE TIME OUT WILL
YOU WONDER IS WE'VE GOT TO WANT
TO RAISE.
>> WE THANK YOU KNOW WHY YOU
GOT WHAT YOU GOT A WARRANT FOR
HIS ARREST.
>> THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GOT
TIPS THAT WILLARD SMITH, THE
SUSPECT OF A 1995 MURDER MAY BE
IN THIS CROWD. THEY DETAINED
SOMEONE, THEY SAY MATCHED HIS
DESCRIPTION ULTIMATELY FINDING
IT WASN'T THE SUSPECT. IT WAS
HIS BROTHER. WE NEVER WANT TO
UPSET A FAMILY OR DO ANYTHING
TO DISRESPECT ANYONE THAT WE
HAD TO GO. CHECK THAT OUT TO
SEE IF WE CAN LOCATE HIM.
>> I KIND OF FEEL LIKE IT WAS
OUR ONLY OPPORTUNITY. SHERIFF
BRIAN ESTES SAID GOING HERE WAS
A CHANCE TO CLOSE A 30 YEAR-OLD
CASE. DID YOU THINK YOUR
DEPUTIES HANDLED IT
APPROPRIATELY THAT THINGS WERE
DONE AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN?
I FEEL LIKE THEY DID WHAT THEY
COULD DO TO STAY SAFE AND THEY
KEEP EVERYONE FROM GETTING
HARMED.
>> THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAID
THE PERSON WHO THEY DETAINED
FULLY COOPERATED WITH THE
INVESTIGATION. THE SHERIFF'S
OFFICE IS ALSO OFFERING A
$10,000 REWARD FOR ANYONE WHO
MAY HAVE INFORMATION THAT LEADS
TO THE SUSPECT'S ARREST.
CARLY HAYNES, WRAL, NEWS LIVE