By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Murder convict caught in Tattnall County
N.C. escapee led quiet life for 16 years
Placeholder Image
Russ num
Associated Press Writer
Updated: Jul 1, 2011, 6:54 PM
Published: Jul 1, 2011, 6:57 PM

SAVANNAH — A convicted killer who escaped from a North Carolina prison 16 years ago was captured Thursday in a rural Georgia town where authorities say he'd settled down with a family, bought a mobile home and started his own business selling pine straw.

Manuel Hrneith, 49, is awaiting extradition from Tattnall County in southeast Georgia back to North Carolina, where he was serving an 18-year sentence for second-degree murder and other crimes until he escaped from a minimum-security prison in Wilmington in May 1995.

North Carolina authorities found no trace of the fugitive until last week, when a tip pointed them to tiny Cobbtown, Ga., about 60 miles west of Savannah.

"Apparently he must've been a model citizen," said Tommy Long, supervisory deputy for the U.S. Marshals Service in Savannah. "The guy's gone 16 years and didn't get in trouble, not even a traffic stop."

The escapee had been living in Tattnall County under the alias Alfredo Arrieta Urieta since at least 2004, when property records show he bought a mobile home. He lived with a woman who told sheriff's deputies she was his wife, as well as three children she identified as theirs.

Hrneith made his living raking, bundling and selling pine straw, and told authorities that he often traveled out of Georgia to deliver to buyers, said Capt. Kevin Keyfauver of the Tattnall County Sheriff's Office.

Keyfauver said the fugitive had about four rifles and handguns in his home, but he surrendered peacefully when authorities showed up at 1 a.m. Thursday.

"We went out and asked him what his real name was and he told us, and we asked him if he had problems in NC and he said, 'Yeah,'" Keyfauver said.

Hrneith was convicted of second-degree murder in 1991 in Pitt County, N.C., though District Attorney Clark Everett said Thursday he did not remember the case and could not immediately find who the victim was or any other details.

Hrneith faces charges in Tattnall County for being a convicted felon in possession of guns.

Keyfauver said the escapee waived extradition back to North Carolina, where prison officials are ready to return him to a cell after 16 years.

"We hope to have him back in custody soon," said Pamela Walker, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
Placeholder Image
Bryan County News
Updated: Dec 1, 2017, 7:02 PM
Published: Nov 28, 2017, 7:08 PM

Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

Latest Obituaries