At approximately 9:20 PM, Thursday evening May 1, 2014, Mr. Mert Scripture 71, answered a knock at his front door at his house, NW of Bemidji in Grant Township. Orland James Spears, 23, of Redby, asked to use the telephone to make a call. Mr. Scripture allowed Spears to make a phone call from outside his front door. After completing the call, Mr. Scripture closed his front door and turned away when suddenly Spears broke through the door and stabbed Mr. Scripture twice in the chest and fled on foot from the scene. A call to 911 brought Beltrami County Deputies and Bemidji Police to the scene. First aid was administered to Mr. Scripture by officers and he was subsequently transported to Sanford Emergency Department where he remains at the time of this release.
The Beltrami County Sheriff's Communications Division sent a CodeRED alert for the neighborhood advising citizens to lock their doors and watch for the described suspect whose identity was not yet known. Additional officers and investigators flooded the area and began to conduct a manhunt. A Beltrami County K-9 officer was called to the scene and the canine began tracking the suspect through the woods. After several hours of searching the K-9 lost the scent of the suspect in the wooded area west of Bemidji.
During this time it was learned the suspect had stolen a car on Red Lake which he had used to drive down into the neighborhood. Investigators were able to determine the identity of the suspect as Orland Spears which gave investigators more leads to follow while attempting to apprehend Spears.
At approximately 10 minutes after 5 AM the Beltrami County Communications Center began receiving phone calls from citizens in the neighborhood reporting the suspect walking around near homes in the area. Deputies in the area arrived at a residence where the suspect had just entered the garage. Deputies entered the residence and located the suspect, who refused commands to lower his knife and surrender. The police K-9 was released and the suspect was successfully apprehended after the dog took the suspect down.
Spears was arrested and transported to the Sanford emergency department for treatment of his injuries and placed into custody at the Beltrami County Jail. The investigation will be presented to the Beltrami County Attorney's office for consideration of serious assault and burglary charges.
Beltrami County Sheriff's office was assisted by the Bemidji Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol and the United States Border Patrol.
Sheriff Phil Hodapp
ORLAND JAMES SPEARS, 23, REDBY, MN
