Murder suspect’s return delayed
Published 11:00 pm Tuesday, November 13, 2012
There was a delay in the transport of an accused murder back to Troy due to a communication error in California, according to the Troy Police Department.
According to information released by the Troy Police Department, Suroy Manquel Wheeler, 34, of Troy, will be picked up as early as Wednesday from the Ventura County Jail in California and brought back to Troy. Police Sgt. Benny Scarbrough said Wheeler should be back in Troy about 36 hours after his pick-up. He was originally scheduled to begin his journey across the country Monday.
Police believe Wheeler shot 29-year-old Melissa Shipman on Oct. 27 and left her in her Troy Villa apartment. Shipman was found about 3 p.m. that day by a co-worker.
Investigators quickly developed information that Wheeler was the suspect and later a tipster called the Pike County Sheriff’s Department with information Wheeler was in Norwalk, Calif. boarding a Greyhound bus heading to Oxnard, Calif.
Troy Police notified the Oxnard Police Department and a surveillance team was placed outside the local bus stop. Oxnard Police took Wheeler into custody without incident on Oct. 29 about 5 p.m.
Wheeler is charged with murder and his bond has been set at $100,000.