The man accused of killing a Blount County Sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on first-degree murder charges, according to Tuesday reports.
Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr., who allegedly killed 43-year-old Deputy Greg McGowan and injured 22-year-old Deputy Shelby Eggers during a traffic stop in February, led authorities on a days-long manhunt before he was captured on February 13.
Body-worn camera footage helped a grand jury indict DeHart Jr. on charges of premeditated first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
“I made a tally as I was watching this video, and I counted 37 times they either asked lawfully or told lawfully for the defendant to exit the vehicle,” Blount County District Attorney General Ryan Desmond reportedly said. “It was his decision to refuse those requests 37 times that led to us being here today, your honor, and you do not point a gun at two individuals and pull the trigger six times unless you intend to kill them.
“You do not point a gun at a man lying helpless on the ground and pull the trigger unless you intend to kill him,” he said.
DeHart (pictured above) reportedly had a lengthy criminal record stemming back to 2002. Between 2002 and 2017, he was charged with 26 different crimes, including three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of domestic violence, and 13 counts of violating a protective order.
He was also charged twice for unlawfully possessing a weapon.
During the manhunt for DeHart, digital billboards were erected so the public could help authorities locate him, and several public and private entities offered rewards for his capture.
The U.S. Marshals offered $10,000 for DeHart’s capture, the Blount County Sheriff’s Office offered $10,000, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office offered $10,000, Smith & Wesson offered $40,000, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation $2,500 offered and the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers offered $2,000.
According to the U.S. Marshals, “several private individuals” offered monetary rewards for DeHart’s capture.
DeHart faces a minimum of life in prison if convicted but could be sentenced to death.
Tennessee has 47 inmates on death row and last executed a death row inmate in 2020.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
