By David Lohr
October 9, 2007
WINCHESTER, VA. (Crime Library) — A nationwide manhunt came to an end Saturday when Virginia State Police arrested 46-year-old William Joe "Billy Mitch" Mitchell, a convicted sex offender with a violent past, in Winchester, Virginia. Police had been looking for Mitchell since he lured 15-year-old Alyssa Frank away from her family home in Bartow, Florida last week. Fortunately, the teen was able to get away from Mitchell in DeFuniak Springs. From there, Mitchell led police on a manhunt through several states along the East Coast.
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| Flying J Logo |
The hunt for Mitchell intensified on Thursday, when police in Pennsylvania received a tip that Mitchell's black Chevrolet Lumina with Florida license plate number G025EL had been spotted in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Mitchell left the area before police could locate the vehicle. The trail went cold from there, but then, on Saturday morning, a second tipster reported seeing Mitchell's car at the Flying J Truck Stop in Winchester, where police were able to take him into custody without incident.
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| William Mitchell |
"Virginia State Police swooped down upon him at gun point, arrested him, and he offered absolutely no resistance," Polk County, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd said in an interview with WHSV.com, adding, "Now our goal is to see that he never breathes another breath of air outside of prison."
Alyssa's father, Roger Frank, was overjoyed when he received new of the arrest.
"When we got the news today about that he was caught, it was absolutely the best joy in the world," Frank told WHSV.com. "We're very happy my daughter's doing fine; she's going to be OK."
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Alyssa Frank Case Shows How Predators Groom Vulnerable Children
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