UPDATE April 3:
On April 1, 2025, at approximately 11:30pm, deputies from the Vance County Sheriff’s Office assisted officers from the Henderson Police Department in their attempt to apprehend a fleeing suspect from a traffic stop.
The suspect, identified as Markus Hilliard, fled officers from the Henderson Police Department during a traffic stop. Deputies assisted due to the pursuit heading into the county. Deputies took over the pursuit once Hilliard turned on Gillburg Rd. Hilliard, in an attempt to get around deputies, hit a Vance County Deputy head-on causing damage to the deputy’s vehicle.
The pursuit ended inside Foster Mobile Home Park in close proximity to where Hilliard lived. Hilliard then jumped and ran from the vehicle into a heavily wooded area with an AR-15. He then began firing several shots while in the wooded area. Vance County Deputies and North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the Henderson Police Dept. setup a perimeter in the area in an effort to locate Hilliard. After a few hours that search was called off.
On April 2, 2025, Deputies received information that Hilliard was in the area of Fern Ln., Henderson, NC and wanted to turn himself in. Deputies went to the location to take Hilliard into custody. He then jumped out a window and began running. A perimeter was set by Vance County Deputies, North Carolina State Highway Patrol and the State Bureau of Investigation as well as the Henderson Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. After a chase in the wooded area, Hilliard was finally taken into custody by Vance County Deputies.
Deputies charged Hilliard with misdemeanor Assault on a Government Official, Hit and Run Failure to Stop resulting in Property Damage, Felony Fleeing to Elude Arrest, and he received a secured bond of $27,500.
The Henderson Police Department also charged Hilliard with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Felony Fleeing to Elude Arrest, Driving while License Revoked, Resisting a Public Officer, and he received a secured bond of $60,000.
Markus Hilliard was processed and transported to the Vance County Detention Center.
Approximately 12:50 pm today, Hilliard posted bond and was released from custody.
(The above text from a press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.)
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Original News Post, April 2, 2025:
Wednesday afternoon about 4:30, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office ended a manhunt, which had been underway since Tuesday night, with the arrest of the suspect. Sheriff Curtis Brame told WIZS News deputies hemmed in the suspect, talked to him for about 15 minutes, and he surrendered without incident. Brame said his office has taken Markus Hilliard, approximately 36 years of age, of 1000 Foster Road, Lot 17, into custody.
Sheriff Brame said it was City Police that attempted a traffic stop of Hilliard Tuesday night and that once the car chase ended, Hilliard jumped and ran. While running through a wooded area, the Sheriff explained, Hilliard “discharged a firearm to keep us away,” shooting off about 30 rounds.
There have been no injuries and deputies and law enforcement did not return fire.
Brame said earlier Wednesday that his office received information that the suspect was on Fern Lane, but when a residence there was surrounded, the suspect “ran out the back, and we’ve been on foot pursuit ever since.”
Around 3 p.m. Wednesday, Brame said the search was going on in the Briggs Road and South Lynnbank Road area, just west of Bearpond.
