Suspect in S.C. officer's death may be in Georgia

<p>The search for a Virginia man wanted in the shooting death of an off-duty Orangeburg police officer now spans to Florida and Georgia, State Law Enforcement Division Chief Robert Stewart said Wednesday.</p><p>Stewart said the suspect, Mikal Deen Mahdi, 21, took a truck loaded with guns and a bulletproof vest from Orangeburg Public Safety Department Capt. James Myers, 56. Myers was found dead about 9:30 Sunday night and department's 2003 White Dodge Ram truck was missing.</p><p>"There are several weapons plus a bulletproof vest," Stewart said.</p><p>Authorities already had been searching for Mahdi after carjacking at gunpoint early Sunday morning. That SUV was found less than a mile from where Myers was killed in Calhoun County. Police also issued a warrant for Mahdi in the robbery of a Winston-Salem, N.C., Exxon station and shooting death of the store's clerk, Christopher Jason Boggs, 29.</p><p>Boggs' keys were found in the carjacked vehicle when it was recovered.</p><p>Mahdi, who is from Brunswick County, Va., had been released from prison in May, Stewart said</p><p>Virginia authorities also want Mahdi for questioning, Stewart said.</p><p>"Given the nature of the offenses he is now charged with, he would be classified as extremely dangerous and armed. ... It's extremely important that we locate him before someone else is injured."</p><p>Stewart said the four-door truck should stand out because it has a brush guard and winch on its front bumper and a chrome toolbox in the bed. It also bore a municipal government tag, MG-41978, but Stewart said that license may not be on the truck any longer.</p><p>Even if Mahdi has abandoned the truck, finding it would give an idea of what direction he is heading, Stewart said.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/7/164497