BCSO aids in capture of suspected kidnapper

Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 8, 2007

Kevin Pearcey

Butler County Sheriff's deputies arrested a Fort Deposit man on Monday suspected of kidnapping his ex-wife and 3-year-old son.

According to Butler County Sheriff Kenny Harden, Earnest Walker, 36, was arrested at a residence on Highway 185 North. Both the child and Walker's ex-wife were present and unharmed, said Harden.

Harden said Montgomery police notified the sheriff's office of the abduction Monday morning. A cellular phone call was traced to a trailer on Fort Dale Road where Walker was discovered, said Harden.

Walker was arrested without incident at approximately 11 a.m. and picked-up by Montgomery police at 1 p.m. He was transported to the Montgomery County Detention Facility where he was being held without bond on Tuesday.

Harden said the Montgomery Police Department, Lowndes County Sheriff's Department, Fort Deposit Police Department, the United States Marshals, and Alabama State Troopers participated in the search for Walker.

Montgomery police told the Montgomery Advertiser that Walker rammed his ex-wife's car a number of times then forced her and the child into a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria.

MPD Capt. Huey Thornton told the Advertiser that Walker's ex-wife was going to testify against him in an assault case.