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AWOL fugitives captured in pastor's death
Daniel R. Smith, left, and Stephen C. Wilson are fugitives charged in the death of the Rev. Mark McCalla.
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HUNTINGTON – Authorities in Columbus, Ohio, arrested two deserters from the U.S. Army charged with killing a Huntington minister, according to authorities in Ohio and Wayne County.
Warrants were issued for both men earlier in the day. They were being sought Friday with in connection with the death of the Rev. Mark McCalla.
The fugitives are Stephen C. Wilson, 19, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Daniel R. Smith, 22, of Newport News, Va. They told a fellow soldier on Sunday they had shot and killed McCalla, according to authorities and criminal complaints filed in Wayne County Magistrate Court.
Sgt. Dana Norman of the Columbus Police Department’s Homicide Bureau said his officers arrested two men wanted for murder in Wayne County. The men were captured without incident after 9 p.m. in downtown Columbus.
A state forestry worker found McCalla’s body June 19 at the Beech Fork Wildlife Management Area shooting range. The victim, pastor at Highlawn Presbyterian Church in Huntington, died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Investigators believe he was shot at close range. His body was dragged about 20 yards.
Wilson and Smith most recently were stationed at Fort Drum in New York, but left in recent months, said Wayne County Sheriff David Pennington and Sgt. Travis Williamson.
Both men are considered armed and dangerous. Pennington did not know Friday whether the men had criminal records. Anyone with information about their whereabouts should call 911.
Pennington said the FBI informed him both fugitives are absent without leave from the U.S. Army base. Officials at Fort Drum would not confirm their status, but base spokesman Randolph Murphy said the men belong, or at one time belonged, to Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division. That unit has served time in Iraq.
The story has grabbed widespread attention with media outlets interested in the story from New York to North Carolina. Pennington said the two fugitives could be anywhere.
“We have no idea where they are,” he said. “A lot of things have come down real fast in this case. There is a lot of work that has to be done. As I said up front, this is not an easy case.”
Criminal complaints state the fugitives had been staying with a fellow soldier, the son of a resident at 32 Idle Acres. Authorities say the three were stationed together at Fort Drum.
The fugitives’ friend has not been charged. Neighbors described him as an Iraq War veteran.
Police executed a search warrant Thursday at the Idle Acres residence, as they acted on tips, including information that a man wearing a mohawk haircut was in the area. The investigators confiscated a car with New York tags, about 12 firearms and photographs of the fugitives in possession of weapons, according to information from sheriff’s offices in Wayne and Cabell counties.
The description of the car and the one man matched information provided last week by another person, who told police he had spotted a vehicle with a New York license plate enter the shooting range near the time of McCalla’s death and that the vehicle’s passenger had a mohawk hairstyle.
Police believe Wilson was wearing a mohawk at the time of the shooting, Williamson said.
The sheriff’s deputy was encouraged by the developments. He credited many agencies with assisting in the investigation.
“We’re a long way from done, but this family is what it’s all about,” he said. “It’s hard to feel good for the family, but I feel as good for the family as I have since this case started. That they may be starting to gain some sense of closure.”
Williamson confirmed that investigators believe robbery motivated the attack on McCalla.
The minister had served breakfast at a faith-based work camp within two hours of the fatal shooting. Mourners attended his funeral Monday. They remembered their leader as a good minister and avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed bicycling and kayaking. He also enjoyed firearms, according to police.
Two guns and a wallet belonging to the victim were missing from the shooting range. Williamson did not confirm whether investigators recovered his wallet or one of the weapons from the Idle Acres residence. He said at least one of McCalla’s guns was still missing Friday.
Pennington said police have not recovered the weapon used to kill the victim. They speculate the gunman fired the fatal shot with one of McCalla’s guns, but he said they lacked proof of that Friday.
McCalla’s sister, Melinda Vasila, offered a prepared release to The Herald-Dispatch. She said her family is very grateful to those investigators who are working “exhausting, long hours” to identify those who killed her brother.
“We wish them Godspeed in apprehending these dangerous thugs before they terrorize or harm anyone else,” she said. “We remain grateful and appreciative of the kindness, support and prayers from the Huntington community.”
Alan Eargle is the victim’s stepson. He said Friday the immediate family was waiting for authorities to catch the fugitives before commenting further. The family was praying for a quick capture Thursday night.
Investigators interviewed three people, including the fugitives’ friend, after Thursday’s raid of the Idle Acres house. All of those individuals were released.
Wayne County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chet Maynard estimated the confiscated guns included six long-barrel firearms, two shotguns and four handguns. Officers also confiscated a computer and several bags of clothes.
Investigators were still processing the recovered weapons Friday. Pennington said those results could lead to additional charges.
State and county police had received recent reports of stolen guns at the rifle range. Those reports indicate the weapons were stolen as the victims replaced paper targets at the range. Investigators had not linked those reports to McCalla’s death.
McCalla was ordained July 31, 1994. He became pastor a day later at First Presbyterian Church in Corry, Pa. He moved on to preach at churches in Franklin, Pa., and Columbus, Ohio, before coming to Huntington, according to the Presbyterian Church USA Web site.
