A Georgia manhunt concluded on Wednesday, August 27, 2026, with the capture of Drake Ladon Keef, a Top 10 Most Wanted fugitive, in Bartow County, Florida. Keef, 32, was taken into custody with assistance from the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office and subsequently booked into the Floyd County Jail in Georgia.

Keef had outstanding warrants for aggravated battery, hit-and-run, and driving with a suspended license. Floyd County police stated these charges are connected to the investigation into the mysterious death of 35-year-old Stevie Marie Thompson, who died following a late-night incident in Rome, Georgia, on August 22, 2026. Authorities have not disclosed details about what happened to Thompson or Keef’s alleged role in her death.

The manhunt spanned 45 days and three states, ending after Thompson’s body was discovered in a shallow grave. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.

Separately, Elaine Angene Escoe, who had been on the run since May 2025 under the alias "Harley Newman," was captured in Jamaica and returned to the United States to face justice. FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted this as the fourth capture from the "Most Wanted Fraudster" list in five weeks.

Sources