K-9 Unit Crucial To Tracking Down Okfuskee County Double-Homicide Suspect

Lighthorse Police K9 Handler Lyndon Spears and Officer Donja, have been working together for years. That teamwork became necessary when Spears and Donja were helping several agencies track down Joshua Green<br/>

Friday, February 7th 2020, 10:22 pm

By: News On 6

We know more tonight about how police tracked down a double murder suspect this week. K9’s with the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department played a big part in the arrest.

Previous Story: Okfuskee County Double-Homicide Suspect In Custody

Police say the suspect, Joshua Green asked to come inside of a man’s house to get warm. They say Green didn’t realize he was in a Marine’s house, who recognized Green as a wanted man, and the police were right around the corner.

"Once Donja got on track and I knew that he was searching for something...I was like, ‘I think we are onto something. We are going to find this guy,’" said Lighthorse Police K9 Handler Lyndon Spears

Spears and Officer Donja, know a thing or two about working together- they have been doing it for years.

"As a handler, you have to trust that your dog is doing his job," said Spears.

And that teamwork became necessary when Spears and Donja were helping several agencies track down Joshua Green, a man police say, was a suspect in a double homicide and arson. The OSBI says law enforcement found two people who had been murdered before their home had been set on fire in Okfuskee County on Wednesday. Spears and Donja searched for hours, once Donja picked up fresh tracks, things started to unfold pretty quickly.

"He led me through two creeks, barbed wire fences, through vegetation that was frozen over and briar patches," said Spears.

A new tip led officers to home right around the corner. Green was inside

“That is when the adrenaline kicks in," said Spears, "He had been on the run for 16 hours. Being that he was wanted for such a heinous act, us not knowing if he was armed."

Spears says Green refused to surrender despite repeated warnings, so he let Donja loose, making it possible for officers to arrest Green.

“We are highly trained and so are our K9 partners,” said Spears.

Spears says he trains every week with Donja and this is just another example of how that training pays off when it counts most.

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