Fergus Falls, MN
Nelson County, VA
By Tommy Stafford
Our special thanks to KTSP-TV anchor Bill Lunn In Minneapolis, Minnesota for he and his staff’s assistance working the story with us from that end.
As BRL first broke the story earlier in the day Thursday on our Facebook page, two felons on the run have now been captured. VSP picks up the details in their release below.
The East Nelson woman who was shot remains in serious condition after she was transported to UVA Medical Center by Wintergreen Fire & Rescue earlier this week.
View history and timeline leading up to the capture by clicking here.
Official release from VSP:
The two fugitives from North Carolina being sought in a Nelson County shooting are now in police custody. Shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, Sean D. Castorina and Penny M. Dawson were apprehended by the Fergus Falls, Minn., Police Department. The two were arrested without incident at a gas station within that jurisdiction.
The two will be extradited back to Virginia to face charges of malicious wounding, use of a firearm and grand larceny of a vehicle.
During the past two days, the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office, the Nelson County, Va., Sheriff’s Office, Burlington, N.C., Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service have been actively pursuing leads and searching for the couple.
The incident began Aug. 19, 2017, when the Burlington, N.C. Police Department received a report of a missing person. Mr. Harold Dean Simpson, 84, was last seen by his family at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Mr. Simpson’s silver 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt was located by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office at 6:48 p.m., on Monday, Aug. 21. The vehicle, with North Carolina license plate EMA 8936, had been abandoned on Laurel Road in eastern Nelson County.
During the course of the investigation into the abandoned vehicle, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at approximately 7:30 p.m., Tuesday (Aug. 22) about a shooting victim at a residence on Laurel Road near Rockfish River. When law enforcement arrived on scene, they found a 60-year-old female suffering from a gunshot wound. She continues to be treated at UVA Hospital in Charlottesville, Va., for serious injuries.
After the shooting, Castorina and Dawson fled the residence in a 2002 Dodge Dakota that belonged to the owner of the residence. The two were still driving the stolen pickup truck when apprehended in Minnesota.
The search continues for Mr. Simpson. Anyone with information related to Mr. Simpson’s disappearance is asked to still please contact the Burlington, N.C., Police or call 911 or, in Virginia, call #77 on a cell phone.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police
Original post
BRL has been able to independently confirm outside of law enforcement and with law enforcement sources in Buckingham County, VA that the two fugitives on the run from police have been apprehended.
Family and friends of the victim say they were caught in Minnesota. Though we have not been able to confirm that with law enforcement.
BRL has attempted to get Nelson Sheriff David Hill to confirm the capture. Thus far he has not returned any of our calls.
We have an inquiry into the Virginia State Police as well.
GOOD I’m glad they have been caught WE HOPE the lady that GOT shot is OK WE don’t need this kind of ignorance in Nelson CO. Or Buckingham CO. Or any others THESE towns are NICE N BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE live in THEM towns ECT I LOVE visiting Blue Ridge Mr s OF Va. SHYLUR N SCOTTSVILLE ROCKFISH ECT
Glad at least police in another state were able to catch them before they hurt anyone else.
Nice coverage of an event that concerned all in Nelson County. My question is: will we ever hear the outcome of this? All too often, we only hear the beginning of an event, but not its ending. Will we hear about Mr. Simpson if he’s found. Or of the lady who was shot, and her connection to all of this? If you follow this and learn of it, I’m sure many of us would like to hear… Thanks.
Thank you for your kind remarks Mr Summers. Absolutely you will hear more as this unfolds. I will make sure the investigating agencies brief the public on the progress of this case. We have known the identity of the victim since the night it happened. But we have been awaiting the arrival of her family members from our of the country before releasing that.
We are following the progress of the investigation in NC as well.
Our goal all day yesterday was to let the citizens of Nelson County know they could rest easier and the fugitives had been apprehended. The information locally was absent. We still have had no response. But I personally assure you we will stay on this.
Thank you again for your most generous and kind compliments this morning.
Have a great rest of your Friday and upcoming weekend!
Tommy
Great coverage Tommy–keep us informed!!
Chuck & Jane Strauss
Thanks so much for your kind words! Glad they caught them, officers were unharmed and everyone back here now safe!
Tommy
Hi, Tommy… It’s over a month since the capture and I’m hoping we will hear that followup on the affair. Has anything new surfaced in connection with the event that will be informative to Nelson County residents?
Hi Vincent, the pai is working their way through the system in NC where they face 1st degree murder charges. My understanding it that they will still face the courts here and charges in VA once it’s been heard there. Tommy
Thank you very much, Tommy! I was wondering…