Man with U.S. Marshals warrant arrested after Montgomery County manhunt

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A five-hour-long manhunt in Montgomery County ended Thursday night with a man with a nationwide extradition warrant arrested.

According to a press release from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called at 6:30 a.m. to the 100 block of Strube Road in New Florence for a report of a man in camouflage walking on private property. Deputies were unable to locate the man, later identified as 52-year-old John W. Atteberry, of Kansas City.

Deputies responded to another report of trespassing just before 5 p.m. in the 300 block of South Highway 19. Two people were seen wearing camouflage on a property. One of them allegedly got a ride from the area and Atteberry left on foot.

The release states that when deputies tried to approach Atteberry on foot, he ran into a wooded area. Deputies later found the person who left in the vehicle. Deputies learned that Atteberry had an outstanding no-bond warrant through the U.S. Marshals Service for weapons-related charges with a nationwide extradition, according to the sheriff's office.

Just after 7:15 p.m., a property owner's deer camera caught Atteberry in the 100 block of Strube Road. Law enforcement repositioned their perimeter and search.

A Highway Patrol aircraft saw Atteberry lying in a tree line south of a pond. Deputies and troopers went to detain him, but lost sight. During the search, they found his bag, which had a large quantity of ginseng, according to the sheriff's office.

At around 10 p.m., MSHP drone and aircraft crews found Atteberry hiding in a tree. Deputies, officers and a K9 team surrounded the tree and arrested him without incident, the sheriff's office says.

Atteberry was taken to the Montgomery County Jail on the outstanding warrant and multiple pending charges of first-degree trespassing and felony resisting arrest.

The Missouri Department of Conservation seized the ginseng. The release states additional charges may come after they investigate potential violations in possession limits and harvesting without a permit.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Troops F and B; MSHP Aircraft, Drone and K9 divisions; Missouri Department of Conservation; Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and a department K9; and Montgomery County Communications all took part in the search.