A North Carolina man has been arrested in another state for his alleged involvement in the death of David J. Stewart, 69, of Winterville, whose body was found on Feb. 25 in Oglethorpe near the Clarke County line, according to the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office.
The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Arkansas State Police and the Denton (Texas) Police Department, has concluded a multi-state investigation with the arrest of a 29-year-old man from North Carolina.
Michael Thomas Dusch, of Moore County, N.C., was apprehended in Denton, Texas, where he was allegedly found driving a stolen vehicle.
During the traffic stop, authorities allegedly discovered evidence linking Dusch to several serious crimes, including the murder of Stewart in Oglethorpe County.
Dusch now faces multiple charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, exploitation of the elderly, false imprisonment, concealing the death of another, financial transaction card theft and identity fraud.
Investigators have indicated that additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
Before his arrest in Texas, police say Dusch was wanted in North Carolina for charges related to child pornography and identity theft. His connection to the Georgia murder case came to light following the discovery of items during the traffic stop that led to further investigation. Dusch is also under investigation for a separate incident in Arkansas, according to authorities, though that case remains open.
Police say Dusch is currently awaiting extradition to Georgia, where he will face the charges related to the death of Stewart and other criminal offenses.
