Tuesday, September 7

AUGUSTA, Ga -- Wanted double murder fugitive Franklin Wright is in custody after almost five days on the run in Hephzibah and Only News 12 spoke with the Hephzibah Police Officer credited with spotting him, and capturing him.

Before Franklin Wright was led down the halls of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, Corporal Jose Colone spotted him behind the glass, at Wally's convenience store in Hephzibah. That's on Windsor Spring Road near Highway 88 in Hephzibah.

"i looked, took a quick look at the wanted poster, went inside...The subject was in front buying some items..."

Cautiously, he tried to get near the potentially armed suspect,for a closer look.

"I was nervous." says Corporal Colone. "And of course, I was concerned with the patrons inside the store, so I did not approach the subject if he was armed or what not, so I waited until he left the store to get backup nearby me, so we could make the arrest."

Wright then began walking away from the store, away from bystanders, and that's when deputies moved in for the arrest.
"We stopped him here at the intersection of Brothersville (Road) and Highway 88"

Wright had changed his appearance some, and admitted, officers say, to hiding in the woods nearby for days. The suspect told officers he was just tired of running. Even though he was armed, he gave up without a fight. For almost a week, the Hephzibah community has been on alert for a suspected killer.

One officers intuition, brings this terrifying search, to a close. "We've had multiple agencies out here looking for the guy and everyone in this are has to have a sigh of relief of having this person picked up."

Wright admitted to officers he'd been hiding in the very woods they had spent days searching, hopping around and also staying in a vacant house. He did get a change of clothes and tried to disguise his appearance by walking with a cane. Investigators believe he was trying to make his escape to Burke County, where he had either friends or family.

Wright also allegedly admitted to using a mixture of ammonia, turpentine and alcohol to cover his scent from search dogs.

55-year-old Franklin Wright is in the Richmond County Jail this morning charged with multiple offenses in connection the "brutal beating" and robbery of Lottery Express business owner, Jennie Hope. The 54-year-old is still in critical condition nearly a week after she was attacked at her business downtown on 13th Street on September 1, 2010.

Charges filed by Richmond County Sheriff's Office are as follows:
Robbery by Force - Business - Strong Arm
Aggravated Assault
Kidnapping of an Adult

He's also on an investigative hold for the Aiken County Sheriff's Office where two murder warrants have already been issued for his connection to the killings of Shalamar Byrd and Yana Shenker back on August 11-th. The coroner said both women were asphyxiated, then their bodies were set on fire.