Two people were arrested Tuesday after a barricaded suspect incident involving a murder suspect wanted out of New York, according to Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Lewis Blanchard.
Chief Blanchard said the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office was assisting the U.S. Marshals Service on Smoketree Road in the Pepper Ridge subdivision while attempting to take the suspect into custody. During the operation, a female, Tramaine Estella, came outside the residence but refused lawful orders from deputies to come toward them. She then returned inside the home, where deputies also observed the murder suspect, Tyleek Estella.
At that point, the suspect barricaded himself inside the residence, Chief Blanchard said.
The Richmond County SWAT team was called to the scene, and deputies deployed emergency medical services, brought in a negotiator, and established contact with those inside the home via phone. After approximately 20 to 30 minutes of negotiations, the female exited the residence, followed shortly by the male suspect.
Chief Blanchard said the male suspect was taken into custody without incident. The female was also arrested for obstruction for failing to obey lawful orders. No injuries were reported.
Earlier in the incident, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office issued a public alert advising residents to avoid the area and instructing nearby homes to shelter in place. Chief Blanchard said residents in the immediate vicinity were notified directly.
While the situation was ongoing, deputies took additional safety precautions in the surrounding neighborhood. Chief Blanchard said law enforcement cleared nearby homes, deployed a drone to monitor the area, and positioned snipers on two separate rooftops to provide coverage. These measures were taken in part due to concerns about children returning home on school buses, he said.
Additional information regarding the murder charge out of New York is expected to be released at a later time, Chief Blanchard said.
