A manhunt in Stewart County, Tennessee, continued Monday for Craig Berry, a retired special forces veteran accused of shooting his wife and fleeing into a wooded area, with authorities warning that his military background and survival training could make the search more difficult.
The case began early Friday, May 1, when deputies responded to a domestic altercation in Dover shortly after 1:30 a.m. Authorities say Berry allegedly shot his wife before running from deputies into nearby woods. She was taken for medical care, though officials have not publicly released a detailed update on her condition.
Berry is wanted on a second-degree attempted murder warrant, according to local reports cited in the article. The Stewart County Sheriff’s Office has described him as armed and dangerous and said he may have at least one handgun and extra ammunition. Officials have urged residents not to approach him and to call 911 if they see him.
The search has involved local deputies, Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers, state Homeland Security officials and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. K9 teams tracked Berry near River Trace Road, and authorities also searched areas around Highway 232 and Old Paris Highway. By the weekend, officials indicated that some wooded search areas had been exhausted and that Berry may no longer be nearby.
That uncertainty is what makes the case especially tense for residents. A fugitive who is believed to be armed is already dangerous. A suspect familiar with the terrain, physically fit and trained in survival tactics can force police to widen the search, watch for outside help and prepare for a longer operation than a typical local pursuit.
The sheriff’s office has said Berry is an excellent swimmer and diver and knows the area. Those details help explain why authorities have not treated the search as a simple perimeter operation. Woods, waterways, rural roads and possible assistance from others can all complicate efforts to predict where a suspect may go after the first hours of a search.
Searches like this often shift over time. The first phase focuses on the immediate area, using dogs, roadblocks and aerial or ground teams to find a trail. If that trail cools, investigators move toward interviews, vehicle checks, tips from residents and possible links to people who might provide shelter, transportation or supplies. Authorities have not said publicly which leads are strongest in Berry’s case.
The domestic violence context also shapes the urgency. Police are searching for a suspect accused of attacking an intimate partner, and officials must consider the safety of the victim, relatives, neighbors and anyone who might encounter him while he is trying to avoid capture. That concern is why public warnings in these cases tend to be direct and repeated.
For the community, the practical guidance remains straightforward: avoid search zones, report suspicious activity and do not attempt contact. In domestic violence cases involving firearms, the danger can extend beyond the original victim, especially if a suspect believes capture is closing in.
What remains unclear is whether Berry is still in Stewart County, whether he has obtained help or transportation, and what resources investigators are using to follow leads outside the original search area. Officials also have not disclosed the full circumstances of the alleged shooting or what led to the domestic altercation.
The case now sits at the intersection of a violent domestic allegation and a tactical search. Authorities are trying to protect the public while locating a suspect they believe has the skills to avoid detection. Until Berry is found, the warning from law enforcement remains active and urgent.
Residents do not need to solve the search themselves. The safest contribution is to preserve distance, document what they notice and get information to dispatchers quickly.
Source: abcnews.go.com
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