Alleged accomplice in fugitive search faces additional charge

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Photo: Courtney Taylor

A day after a manhunt ended in the apparent suicide of the suspect, the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office has released additional details on the arrest of his alleged accomplice. In addition to the charge of hindering apprehension or prosecution as reported earlier by KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot News, 43-year-old Courtney Taylor is facing a felony count of endangering the welfare of a minor.

According to Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, his office responded Wednesday morning to a shooting in the Midway area. The shooting suspect, Alton Cooke was the subject of a two-day manhunt ending Thursday after entry was made at a Kirkland Street residence in Gassville. Cooke was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Taylor and her 16-year-old son were the occupants of the residence, and during the incident, the teen had to be escorted from the residence by U.S. Marshals.

Taylor was interviewed by investigators at the criminal investigation division of the sheriff’s office where she reportedly admitted to receiving a call from Cooke early Wednesday morning. She claimed Cooke asked her to pick him up on French Lane in the Promise Land area, where the parent of the female victim in the shooting incident resides. Taylor allegedly admitted to transporting Cooke from the location to her residence.

Mountain Home Police investigators went to Taylor’s residence later on Wednesday to assist the sheriff’s office in the shooting investigation. Mountain Home authorities were following a lead of stolen property, and they believed Taylor might have information on the thefts and Cooke’s location. Taylor denied Cooke was at the residence at that time, but she later admitted during Thursday’s interview he was hiding in her house.

Sheriff Montgomery says the investigation also revealed Taylor took her son to school Wednesday and later brought him back to the residence, knowing Cooke was an armed fugitive.

Taylor is being held on a $50,000 bond, and she is scheduled to appear in Baxter County Circuit Court later this month.

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