Deputies carried out a search warrant at a Mill Springs home on August 6. Conner and Strough escaped out the back door into the surrounding woods while the search warrant unrelated to the suspects was being executed. In order to finish searching the house, deputies decided not to pursue them right away. Subsequently, there were numerous fruitless attempts to find the suspects in nearby locations.
The two suspects were apprehended by deputies at the 1100 Block of John Shehan Road on August 19, while they were looking for a car that was mentioned in a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) notice from nearby Henderson County. A perimeter was set up, K-9 teams and airborne units were sent in, and the suspects ran into the nearby woods. The search was canceled after three hours without finding the suspects.
Following these actions, authorities were notified anonymously on August 25 that the suspects were at a residence on Big Level Road. When deputies arrived, they were told that the suspects had only been gone for a few minutes. The region was searched, but no results were found.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office got another anonymous tip about the suspect's whereabouts on August 26. After spotting Conner and Strough in a white pickup truck, deputies carried out a felony traffic stop and were safely apprehended.
Both suspects were booked into the Polk County Detention Center. Conner is charged on a Post-Release Warrant due to violating the conditions of her release from prison, making her ineligible for bond. Strough faces a $100,000 bond and multiple charges including Failure to Appear for Possession of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Vehicle/Dwelling/Place for Use of Sale of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Burning of a Building Under Construction, Burning Personal Property and Felony Probation Violation. He is also charged with Felony Harboring an Escapee for assisting Conner in evading law enforcement.
Editor's Note: A criminal charge is an accusation, by law, a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven in a court of law.
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