News

Deputies catch East Flat Rock murder suspect

Deputies issued an arrest warrant for James Benjamin Charles.

By Bill Moss, Published: May 19, 2014

EAST FLAT ROCK — Sheriff's deputies arrested the suspect in a stabbing murder this afternoon after spotting him driving a stolen pickup at Upward and Allen roads. James Benjamin Charles was wanted in the stabbing murder of Michael Rondell Brown Sunday night at a home in East Flat Rock.

Deputies responding to a call at  6:57 p.m. at Courtney Lee Lane in East Flat Rock found Michael Rondell Brown, 36, of 201 North Clear Creek Road, dead of stab wounds. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit with assistance from the SBI responded and began an investigation. Officers worked through the night to identify the suspect. The suspect, James Benjamin Charles, 46, is a white male who lived at Lot no. 5, 35 Courtney Lee Lane. Charles drove off in a silver 2002 Nissan Xterra, the sheriff's department said, and is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Officers found the suspect's vehicle early this morning on East Pace Street off Seventh Avenue in Hendersonville.

In a news release issued at 12:47 p.m., Chief Deputy Frank Stout said Charles was thought to be driving a stolen 2000 Dodge Dakota. Ten minutes later Stout reported that deputies had stopped the vehicle and taken Charles into custody.

Because of the ongoing investigation and the fact that Charles was still at large, Stout said earlier he did not want to say how deputies identified him as the stabber. "As part of our investigation," he said, "we are very sure he's the one."