Suspect in case of missing priest captured in S.C.

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. — The 28-year-old man wanted as a suspect in the disappearance of Father Rene Robert of St. Augustine, was captured early Thursday morning, according to CBS affiliate WRDW in Augusta, Ga.

Deputies believe Father Rene, 71, was helping Steven Murray through a tough time.

U.S. Marshals got a tip that the car of Father Rene, a missing St. Johns County priest, was found abandoned in Aiken, S.C. on Wednesday. WRDW reported that Murray was involved in a high-speed chase -- the second in two days -- and crashed Father Rene's blue Toyota Corolla before making his escape into some nearby woods.

Murray was caught around 12:45 a.m. The Aiken County Sheriffs Office said he wouldn't appear in court Thursday morning because officials were waiting on a fugitive warrant. The warrant was received before noon, and Murray appeared in court, saying "smile for the cameras" during the appearance.

St. Johns County authorities had already been en route to South Carolina when Father Rene car was reported spotted in the Aiken area.

Robert was reported missing on Tuesday and Murray was named as a person of interest in Father Rene's disappearance. WRDW told Action News Jax that the car was spotted in the area around 4 p.m.

WRDW reports that a bloodhound and SWAT team began tracking Murray and spotted him in a car in the woods around 5:20 p.m. Wednesday. He then fled in the car, where he had a collision in the woods and then ran on foot before they could catch him, investigators say.

Action News Jax has confirmed that firearms were found in Father Rene's car. St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar said during a Thursday afternoon news conference that Murray threatened to "take down" officers in South Carolina. Shoar said there was no gunfire in the chase and capture of Murray in South Carolina.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office initially located Father Rene's car late Tuesday night and attempted a traffic stop. Law Enforcement from SJSO then chased the vehicle on Interstate 95 where the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office assisted. The high-speed pursuit went through the county and into Jacksonville, where the vehicle was lost in the construction area of Interstate 95 and J. Turner Butler Boulevard.

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SJSO has obtained an arrest warrant for Murray on a charge of aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude stemming from the pursuit on Tuesday night in Jacksonville and St. Johns County.

On Wednesday afternoon, Jacksonville Sheriff's officers were going door-to-door at the Stars Rest Inn on the Westside on Wednesday afternoon looking for Robert and Murray.

Sheriff Shoar said investigators hope to have closure in the next 24 hours and get 98 percent of their questions answered by next week.

“I pray we can get some positive closure on this, and there is a lot of people doing the same,” Shoar said.

Anyone with any information concerning this investigation is asked to contact SJSO Major Crimes Detectives with at (904) 824-8304.

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