Suspect in killing of Orlando police officer is in custody

A suspect in the killing of an Orlando, Fla., police officer has been captured after a nine-day manhunt.

Markeith Loyd, 41, was taken into custody Tuesday shortly after his name was added to the U.S. Marshals Service’s most-wanted fugitives list, said Orlando Police Chief John Mina.

“We’ve got him! Markeith Loyd in OPD custody,” the Orlando Police Department tweeted. “Details to come.”

Loyd has been wanted since Dec. 13, when investigators say he fatally shot his pregnant former girlfriend, Sade Dixon, 24, and injured her brother when he rushed to help her.

Orlando Police Lt. Debra Clayton was in pursuit of a suspect when she was slain on Jan. 9.

Mina said Loyd was in custody and wearing Clayton’s handcuffs.

Video showed Loyd, in red pants, a gray shirt and his hands cuffed behind his back, being pulled from an Orange County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. He was then pushed into law enforcement headquarters by more than half a dozen law enforcement officers, some of them deputies in green uniforms, others in plain clothes with masks over their faces.

Loyd exclaimed, “They beat me up! They beat me up!” to nearby cameras as law enforcement took him into the building for questioning Tuesday night.

His bloodied face appeared badly beaten with two swollen eyes.

Mina flashed a wide smile to journalists.

“This is a man who gunned down a pregnant woman and a police officer who was doing her job to protect our community,” Mina said.

Sheriff’s Deputy 1st Class Norman Lewis was killed in a traffic accident Jan. 9 during the search.

There was a $125,000 reward for information leading to Loyd’s arrest. The Marshals Service added another $25,000 Tuesday.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office thanked citizens on Twitter “for their care and concern.”

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer thanked law enforcement on Twitter for capturing the accused killer.

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs also expressed pride and excitement.

“Manhunt has ended! Continued prayers for the families of Lt Debra Clayton and DFC Norm Lewis,” Jacobs tweeted. “Great work by our heroes in law enforcement!”

Doornbos writes for the Orlando Sentinel.

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