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Georgia man wanted for murder captured after chase in Alabama

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  May 25, 2025 4:25pm EDT
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta
article

Mike Thomas. Courtesy of Baldwin County Sheriff's Office

The Brief

    • Mike Thomas, 28, a murder suspect from Stockbridge, Georgia, was captured in Baldwin County, Alabama, after a multi-county police chase, an attempted carjacking, and a violent assault on an 18-wheeler driver.
    • The pursuit began in Conecuh County and ended after spike strips disabled Thomas' vehicle on I-65; he fled on foot and was later found with a gunshot wound to the leg following a six-hour manhunt.
    • Multiple law enforcement agencies, including ALEA, Baldwin County SWAT, and DOC K-9 units, worked together to locate and arrest Thomas, who was taken to a hospital for evaluation; the case remains under investigation.

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. - A Georgia man wanted for murder was captured recently in Alabama after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase, attempting a violent carjacking, and sparking an extensive overnight manhunt.

What we know:

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) identified the suspect as 28-year-old Mike Thomas of Stockbridge. Authorities say Thomas was wanted for a murder charge in Georgia when Evergreen Police officers in Conecuh County attempted to stop him on May 18. Thomas fled, prompting a multi-agency pursuit along Interstate 65.

The chase ended in Baldwin County, Alabama, near mile marker 45 when officers successfully deployed spike strips, disabling Thomas’ vehicle. After crashing, Thomas allegedly attempted to carjack an 18-wheeler that was stopped in traffic, pistol-whipping the driver in the head and face. A passenger inside the truck fired at Thomas, who then abandoned the attempt and fled on foot into nearby woods.

Law enforcement from multiple agencies—including ALEA’s Aviation Unit, the Alabama Department of Corrections’ K-9 team, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit, and others—joined in the search. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office activated its SWAT team due to the dangerous nature of the suspect, who had reportedly fired shots at pursuing officers earlier in the chase.

After more than six hours of searching, Thomas was apprehended around 5:45 a.m. on May 19. He was found with a gunshot wound to the leg, believed to have occurred during the failed carjacking. He was transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.

What's next:

The case is being handled by ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigation and spans multiple jurisdictions. Once the investigation is complete, findings will be turned over to the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office.

Officials praised the coordinated effort, calling the outcome a successful example of interagency cooperation.

The Source

  • Information for the above story provided by Baldwin County Sheriff's Office and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. 

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