Man wanted in deputy ambush caught after wildlife camera sighting and major manhunt

The “armed and extremely dangerous” man wanted in connection with the shooting death of a Virginia deputy was captured in North Carolina, on Sunday, authorities said.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office said Michael Puckett was captured in Surry County following an extensive manhunt. Earlier on Sunday, authorities said Puckett was spotted on a wildlife camera at 6:56 a.m. on Greenhill Road north of Mount Airy. The agency shared an eerie photo of Puckett wearing a baseball cap and some sort of covering.

Puckett allegedly ambushed two deputies during a welfare check Friday night, killing a military veteran and injuring a second officer. Carroll County Sheriff’s Office deputy Logan Utt, 31, was killed in the attack, according to Carroll County Sheriff Kevin Kemp. 

Before Puckett’s capture, the FBI announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information to locate and capture him. The U.S. Marshals Service also offered a $10,000 reward, bringing the combined reward up to $60,000. It’s unclear if the reward aided in his capture.

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Puckett is facing an aggravated murder charge in Virginia, according to police. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office assisted the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Virginia State Police and numerous local and state agencies in the manhunt for Puckett.

The deadly encounter unfolded just before 9:30 p.m. local time, when the two Carroll County deputies were dispatched to a home after a family member requested a welfare check. 

When the deputies met with Puckett, he allegedly opened fire, killing Utt and wounding the second officer — whose life was saved by his ballistic vest, according to authorities. 

The deputies returned fire, but Puckett fled the scene and remains at large.

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Utt joined the force in 2023 after serving the nation as a military veteran.

“Becoming a deputy sheriff was a lifelong dream, and he worked every day to make Carroll County a safer place,” Kemp wrote in a statement Saturday. “Today, Carroll County has lost a hero, and a family has suffered an unimaginable loss.”

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Utt leaves behind a wife and children. The wounded deputy is recovering in stable condition.

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“Deputy Logan Utt’s sacrifice is a testament to his bravery and dedication to his community,” Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger wrote in a statement on X. “Adam and I are praying for Deputy Utt’s family, the injured officer during his recovery, and for the safety of all of our courageous men and women in law enforcement.”