The man accused of murdering Polk County Police Detective Detective Kristen Hearne, Seth Brandon Sprangler, has died of suicide.
Officials confirmed that Sprangler killed himself on Thanksgiving. According to the AJC, Sprangler had been placed in suicide watch before committing the act.
Spangler died while an inmate at Augusta State Medical Prison.
Spangler’s attorney Jerry Word said his client had been transferred to the Augusta medical prison from Telfair State Prison.
Details of his death are still under investigation.
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The man accused of murdering Polk County Police Officer, Seth Brandon Spangler, pleaded guilty to his role in the shooting.
Spangler entered the plea Thursday morning in front of Tallapoosa Circuit Superior Court Judge Mark Murphy and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Spangler, along with Samantha Michelle Roof were both charged with killing Hearne as well as shooting officer David Goodrich while they were investigating an abandoned vehicle near the intersection of Santa Claus Road and Ga. 100 south of Cave Spring back in September 2017. Reports said that when Spangler and Roof returned to the vehicle, which was later discovered to be reported stolen, Spangler pulled out a handgun and fired upon both officers.
Goodrich survived his injuries.
In exchange for the guilty plea, the district attorney’s office pulled the intended death penalty off the table. Instead, Spangler will spend the rest of his life in prison.
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During a court hearing on Monday Polk County District Attorney Jack Browning said that he intends to seek the death penalty for accused cop killers Seth Brandon Spangler, 31, and Samantha Michelle Roof, 22, both of Chattanooga.
Reports stated that the suspects ambushed two Polk County police officers last Friday, which resulted in the death of detective Kristen Hearne.
Police said that Hearne and fellow officer David Goodrich were investigating a resident’s complaint about a suspicious vehicle described as a Ford Escape last Friday morning when Spangler and Roof approached them.
The suspects fled into the heavily wooded area of Polk County and Roof was arrested less than an hour later. Spangler was captured around 2:45 p.m. when he walked out of the woods naked near some police officers involved in the search.
Both suspects are charged with malice murder, felony murder, felony obstruction of law enforcement officers, aggravated assault and theft by receiving stolen property. Spangler also faces the additional charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
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Update: The name of the Polk County officer who was killed has been released. Officer Kristin Hearne was shot and killed in the line of duty today. We will continue to update our readers as more information is released.
Previous: The suspect in the shooting of two Polk County Officers has been captured and is now in custody. We will update our readers as more information is released.
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The GBI has issued a lookout for a man wanted for shooting two Polk County police officers, one of which died, on Friday afternoon. The GBI said that Seth Brandon Sprangler, of Cave Spring, is to be considered armed and dangerous.
He is listed at 5’8″ and 130 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.
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Two Polk County police officers were shot, one of which has died, which investigating a stolen vehicle on Friday.
Reports said that the Highway 100 near Santa Clause Road, which is between Cedartown and Cave Spring, was shut down following the shooting just after 11 am.
Names have yet to be released pending next of kin.
The officer who was shot, but was not killed, was shot in their bulletproof vest. He was reportedly unharmed.
Agencies in Floyd and Polk County are still working to locate the suspect.
