A summer-long search for a Tennessee murder suspect ended Thursday morning in Wayne County.
Jesse Wayne Phillips, 38, was taken into custody during a joint operation involving local, state and federal law enforcement officers at property along Kentucky Highway 1546 in the Cabell community.
Phillips was wanted in connection with the May 27th shooting death of 40-year-old Christopher Yates on Parker Road near Pall Mall in Pickett County, Tennessee. Yates was shot in the chest and later died at a hospital. Phillips was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted list.
The search moved into Kentucky after Phillips’ pickup truck was found May 28th at a residence on Norman Cole Road in Clinton County.
The U.S. Marshals Service adopted the fugitive case in June. Investigators with the Marshals Service, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Kentucky State Police and the Clinton, Wayne and Pickett County sheriff’s offices continued following leads until information developed this week led them to the Wayne County property.
Phillips was arrested Thursday morning with assistance from the Kentucky State Police Special Response Team. A search warrant was also executed at the property, where authorities reportedly seized multiple firearms.
Clinton County Sheriff Ricky Marcum spoke with WJRS NEWS about the operation and Phillips’ capture.
Sheriff Marcum said the search and apprehension of Phillips has spawned other investigations at the local and federal level which remain ongoing.
