Michael Vance, the man wanted for first-degree murder after shooting and killing two people and wounding four others a week ago, has been shot and killed by Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers.
Updated October 31, 6:02 a.m.
Vance eluded law enforcement for nearly a week after the violent crime spree that started Sunday, October 24.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says Vance was spotted Sunday, October 30 near a camp site in the rural community of Hammon.
The manhunt is over. pic.twitter.com/pw8Zoy4Uqk
— Ricky Adams (@OSBI_Director) October 31, 2016
Dewey County Sheriff Clay Sander was shot in the shoulder and elbow while responding to that report, but the U.S. Marshals Service says the injuries aren’t life-threatening.
Speedy recovery to the Dewey County Sheriff Clay Sander, suffered injuries in a gun battle with Michael Vance
— Capt. Timmons (@capt_timmons) October 31, 2016
Michael Vance fled in a car after reportedly shooting Sander, and was later shot and killed by a state trooper near the town of Leedey.
Vance was last been seen October 24, and had been shot during that initial encounter with law enforcement a week ago. He later posted disturbing videos to social media and allegedly had a hit list of as many as eight more people.
Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel told The Oklahoman the weeklong manhunt had taken "quite a toll" on the entire state:
The highway patrol chief said an OHP helicopter spotted Vance, who had stolen another vehicle since he was last seen about 2:30 a.m. Oct. 24 at a truck stop near Sayre. “We pinned him down,” Adams said. “He's dead. … It was an extremely good job of police work by every agency involved.” Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel said he was notified that Vance had been killed by troopers about 10:15 p.m. Sunday. Whetsel added people across Oklahoma could rest easier with his death. “I think from a standpoint of our citizens it means he's not going to victimize any of our citizens anymore,” Whetsel said.
Updated October 24, 12:36 p.m.
An Oklahoma County judge issued a warrant for Michael Vance’s arrest Monday morning.
In an affidavit detailing the timeline of events, the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office says the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office asked investigators to help them locate Vance after he and another suspect, Tony Heavner, shot WPD officers Sean Stewart and Jimmy Hampton when they responded to a disturbance call.
Stewart and Hampton were hit by gunfire in their lower extremities. Heavner was apprehended at the scene, but Vance fled in a stolen WPD vehicle. While in the police car, Vance posted the first of two videos to Facebook. In the extremely graphic video, Vance said he's in pain and his shirt is covered in what looks like blood.
"This s--- is going to be intense," Vance said as he described plans to steal another vehicle.
In a second video, which is also disturbing, Vance appears to be in a different car, and some kind of long gun can be seen next to him in the vehicle. The affidavit says Vance shot a woman while stealing a Lincoln Towncar. That vehicle was then spotted at a residence in Luther.
An Oklahoma City Police Department helicopter observed a body outside the residence, which was later identified as Ronald Wilkson. When law enforcement officers entered the home, they discovered Wilkson's wife, Valarie Wilkson, who was also deceased.
As investigators searched the Wilkson residence, they discovered the shirt Vance wore during the Facebook live videos, as well as shell casings from an AK-47-style rifle. Investigators believe Vance tried to sever Ronald Wilkson's head, based on a large cut on Wilkson's throat. Valarie Wilkson also had multiple stab wounds, some believed to be defensive, and similar large cuts on her head and arm.
Wilkson's family members told authorities Valarie Wilkson's Mitsubishi Eclipse was missing. Shortly after 4:00 a.m., the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation received a call that a suspect and a vehicle matching the description shot a store clerk twice in the leg at a Flying J truck stop in Sayre, which is about 130 miles west of Oklahoma City.
Original Post
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says Vance has a medical condition and may try to spread disease. KWTV News 9 reports that condition is HIV/AIDS.
38-year-old Michael Dale Vance, Jr. is wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred around 7 p.m. Sunday. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says two Wellston officers were shot by a man with an AK-47 while responding to a shots fired call. Officers returned fire, shooting Vance at least twice in the upper torso.
Wellston Emergency Management officials said both officers returned to their homes early Monday morning in stable condition.
Around 11 p.m. Sunday, two people were found shot to death at a home in Luther, The Oklahoman’s Josh Wallace reports:
About 11 p.m. Sunday, authorities found two people dead inside a Luther home near NE 206 and Triple XXX [sic] Road, which is reported to be Vance's uncle's house. Mark Opgrande, spokesman for the Oklahoma County sheriff's office said Vance stole a gray or silver 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse, with Oklahoma license plate 943 LQQ, from the residence and left in an unknown direction.
Shortly after 2:30 a.m. Monday, Vance reportedly shot a person at a truck stop near Sayre before departing in that Eclipse.
KWTV News 9 reports Vance posted multiple Facebook Live videos from inside vehicles while driving, and one of the videos showed an assault rifle in the passenger’s seat, Wallace reports:
Vance can be seen just after the shooting inside the Wellston officer's patrol car, saying “it hurts, let me tell you it hurts, it sucks,” referring to being wounded in the shootout with officers. “This is more intense than what I thought it was going to be, to say the least … I'm about to steal another car, like right now, this s*** is going to be intense. Watch this people,” Vance says as the video fades to black. A second video, taken from inside a different vehicle, shows Vance point the camera to a gun, saying “look this is real, see that's a … gun, that's the real deal, this … ain't a joke, this ain't a prank, I'm going live if you want to know what's up next, stay tuned to your local news.”
Court records indicate Vance has an extensive criminal history with multiple felony convictions. He was most recently charged in July with child sexual abuse in Lincoln County.
Lincoln Co. has deputies at 2 Chandler schools where #MichaelVance's kids attend, for protection, although they don't believe he's in area.
— Patty Santos (@PattySantv) October 24, 2016
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