Suspect in Georgia Police Officer's Murder Arrested

The man wanted in connection with the murder of a Georgia police officer has been arrested.

Telfair County Police said Royheem Delshawn Deeds, 24, was captured in Florida early Monday morning.

Police say Deeds shot and killed Eastman police officer Tim Smith on Saturday. Smith was shot to death while investigating reports of a suspicious person in the city, located just south of Macon in middle Georgia.

At around 9:30 p.m., Dodge County 911 received a call for a suspicious person near the intersection of Smith and Main Street in Eastman. Smith arrived in the area and encountered an individual. He got out of his patrol car to investigate and was shot by the individual. Smith returned gunfire and the suspect fled the scene.
Smith was transported to an area hospital where he died.

Deeds was arrested around 1:30 am during a traffic stop conducted by the Nassau County, FL, Sheriff's Office on US 1. Also in the vehicle were Deeds' Franshawn Deeds, 22, and Jamil Mitchell, 32, her boyfriend. All are in custody in the Nassau County Jail where they await extradition back to Georgia and face additional charges.

The arrest was the result of a tip received by the GBI and the U.S. Marshals Service and sent to Florida authorities.

See also: Georgia Police Officer Killed; Suspect Sought

Image: Georgia Bureau of Investigation