Executive Summary
- Dion Jamel Flowers Jr. was arrested in Morgantown, WV, ending a manhunt for a 2025 Michigan murder.
- Flowers faces charges of open murder and four counts of assault with intent to murder regarding a shooting in Jackson, MI.
- Two co-defendants were previously arrested in Toledo, Ohio, by U.S. Marshals.
- The operation involved the U.S. Marshals, WV State Police SRT, and ATF.
- Flowers awaits extradition to Michigan to face trial.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The third and final suspect sought in connection with a deadly 2025 gang shooting in Michigan was apprehended Monday morning in West Virginia, marking the conclusion of an extensive multi-state manhunt. Dion Jamel Flowers Jr., 29, was taken into custody without incident at approximately 7:20 a.m. at a residence on Northwest Drive in Morgantown, according to Northern West Virginia Acting U.S. Marshal Terry Moore.
The arrest operation was executed by the U.S. Marshals Service Mountain State Fugitive Task Force with tactical assistance from the West Virginia State Police Special Response Team. Flowers was wanted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan on charges of open murder, four counts of assault with intent to murder, and various firearms violations. Authorities noted he also faced charges for a federal supervised release violation. The criminal charges originate from a shooting on May 17, 2025, in the 100 block of Lincoln Street in Jackson, Michigan, which left four individuals injured and one person dead.
Prior to Monday’s operation, investigators had apprehended two other suspects involved in the case. Tyrek Rice, 28, was arrested on December 30 during a vehicle stop in Toledo, Ohio, while Montez White, 27, was taken into custody on January 12 at a residence in Toledo. The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force tracked the initial suspects to the Toledo area. Following those arrests, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott emphasized the agency’s commitment to the case, stating, “Investigators in Ohio and Michigan will not stop searching for this last remaining fugitive until he is behind bars.”
Investigative leads subsequently directed authorities to West Virginia, where Deputy U.S. Marshals identified associates of Flowers in the Morgantown area. This intelligence led law enforcement to the Northwest Drive residence. Due to the violent nature of the alleged crimes, the West Virginia State Police Special Response Team was utilized to assist with the entry and arrest. The operation also involved the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office. Flowers is expected to be presented in Monongalia County court as a fugitive from justice pending extradition proceedings to Michigan.
It is important to note that all individuals named in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Interagency Fugitive Apprehension Strategy
The capture of Dion Jamel Flowers Jr. highlights the efficacy of the U.S. Marshals Service’s network of regional task forces, specifically the coordination between units in Northern Ohio, Michigan, and West Virginia. By leveraging local intelligence regarding the suspect’s associates, federal agents were able to track a fugitive across state lines, demonstrating the diminishing ability for violent offenders to evade capture by crossing jurisdictional boundaries. This operation underscores the standard protocol for high-risk warrants, utilizing specialized tactical teams such as the State Police SRT to mitigate potential violence during the apprehension of suspects facing capital charges.
