ROANOKE, Va. – The Marine charged with murder in Franklin County is answering a question about his time on the run.
10 News reached out to Michael Brown directly and received a reply as he awaits trial at the Western Virginia Regional Jail.
On Nov. 14, authorities found Michael Brown’s RV parked next to Saint Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church.
According to his lawyer, Deborah Caldwell-Bono, Brown was in the RV the entire time as law enforcement agencies searched the vehicle.
That day, police cut the entire side off the side of the RV and tore it apart, putting the pieces in a nearby dumpster.
Here’s what Brown told 10 News in an email when asked about being inside the RV during the search:
“As for the RV, I feel reluctant to talk about it as I am a big supporter of police and don’t want to say anything that might be seen as embarrassing to any police department. I think they did as good of a job as anyone could have done and don’t fault them for not having found me.”
Caldwell-Bono told 10 News that he was hiding, “behind a cabinet, somewhere near the top.”
At about 6 p.m. that day, the RV was towed about five miles away from where it was found.
Once the RV arrived at the tow company’s lot, Brown exited the RV and jumped a fence to leave the lot, according to Caldwell-Bono.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the lead agency in the case, responded with a written statement Friday:
“We have been aware of that rumor since Brown was arrested. We have been investigating that information and cannot confirm that Brown was in the RV at the time. ... This is an ongoing criminal investigation and we will continue to investigate any new information that becomes available.”
Law enforcement expert Tod Burke said the effort to find Brown that day relied on communication, since there were several agencies participating in the search.
He said the search could have been complicated because of how many places Brown had been before the RV was found, and that the search effort will likely be reviewed by the agency in charge to see if errors were made.
“In some situations, this could just be a matter of embarrassment, or it could be a matter of life and death depending on how things turn out,” Burke said.
Before Brown’s arrest on Nov. 27, the manhunt for him lasted for more than two weeks, starting on Nov. 9 when he allegedly shot and killed his mother’s boyfriend, Rodney Brown in that same home where he was eventually found.
Before that, Michael Brown was reported missing from his post at Camp Lejeune in mid-October.
Caldwell-Bono told 10 News she will be meeting with her client soon. After that meeting, we may have additional information to pass along to you.