Kenneth DeHart: Hunt on for Tennessee man accused of killing deputy as his GF and brother are arrested

MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE: The search for a Tennessee man who allegedly shot and killed a sheriff’s deputy and wounded another is still ongoing as two of his accomplices have been arrested.

Kenneth DeHart, 42, is wanted for the murder in the first degree of Deputy Greg McCowan, 43, and the attempted murder of Deputy Shelby Eggers, 22, during a traffic stop on Thursday, evening, February 8.

Two arrests were made in connection to the shooting of Deputy Greg McCowan

DeHart’s brother, Marcus DeHart, 41, and his girlfriend, Carrie Mathews, 32, have been charged with being accessories after the fact for helping the suspect evade capture.

His brother was arrested on Friday, February 9, and is expected to appear in court on Monday, February 12, while the girlfriend was arrested on Thursday night, February 8, and is being held in a neighboring county.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has Kenneth DeHart on its "most wanted" list. The last known location of Kenneth DeHart was in the Wildwood area, the sheriff's office said. He is believed to be on foot.

Authorities offer a $100,000 reward for information on Kenneth DeHart’s location

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has increased the reward for any information leading to DeHart’s arrest to $100,000, hoping to encourage anyone who knows his whereabouts to come forward.

On Sunday, February 11, TBI Director David Rausch said someone was protecting DeHart and questioned their motives.

“Somebody knows where he’s at. Somebody is protecting him,” Rausch said according to Fox News. “My question to them is why?,” he asked.

Kenneth DeHart opened fire on deputies after refusing to exit his vehicle

The incident that sparked the manhunt occurred on Thursday evening, February 8, when Deputies McCowan and Eggers stopped DeHart’s SUV for erratic driving in Maryville just before 8.30 pm, according to NBC News.

DeHart “would not cooperate with deputies” and refused to exit the vehicle, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting.

DeHart refused to comply with the deputies’ commands and resisted their attempts to use a stun gun on him which had "no effect," the TBI said.

He then pulled out a gun and shot both deputies, killing McCowan and injuring Eggers. DeHart fled the scene in his vehicle while Eggers managed to return fire.

McCowan, who joined the sheriff’s office full-time in 2020 after serving as a reserve deputy, died at a hospital.

Eggers, who has been with the sheriff’s office since 2019, was treated for her injuries and released.

DeHart is considered armed and dangerous and has warrants for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Rausch vowed to find him and bring him to justice. “We’re going to turn every rock over,” Rausch said, adding “We’ll find him, there’s no doubt.”