Jackson County murder suspects caught in Wisconsin

Melissa Gulley/Kentucky State Police

Bruce Carr/Kentucky State Police

JACKSON COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Two suspects in the kidnapping and murder of a 70-year-old Jackson County man in January have been caught in Wisconsin.

According to the Polk County, Wisc., Sheriff’s Department, 48-year-old Bruce Carr and 35-year-old Melissa Gulley were caught at about 6 p.m. Thursday in Amery, Wisc.

The two were arrested without incident.

Polk County is on the Wisconsin/Minnesota border just northeast of Minneapolis, Minn. Amery is about 60 miles from downtown Minneapolis.

Investigators did not say what the two were doing in Wisconsin or how authorities knew where to find them.

Polk County deputies got assistance from Wisconsin state investigators, police from Amery and Clayon, Wisc.

The Kentucky State Police and investigators in Clay, Jackson and surrounding counties had been searching for the two for more than two weeks.

They are wanted in the death of 70-year-old Elijah Rader, whose remains were found Saturday, March 21 in rural Jackson County. He’d been missing since late January.

Rader was a registered sex offender, but investigators have not said whether his death was connected to his prior record.

On March 23, the Kentucky State Police said 23-year-old Jessie Gibson had been arrested on murder and kidnapping charges.

He remains in the Jackson County Detention Center.

Elijah Rader/Jackson County

The KSP originally was called about 4:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving a tip concerning to possible human remains in a rural part of Jackson County. The Kentucky State Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency responded to the area of Old Island City Road.

Investigators recovered the remains and an autopsy Sunday identified them as Rader, who was reported missing Jan. 30.