Moore County Murder Suspect Captured In Texas

MOORE COUNTY, N.C. — The suspect wanted in connection with the death of an 80-year-old Moore County woman has been captured.

Moore County authorities said Johnny Cletus Maness was taken into custody at 12:30 a.m. in Orange County, Texas. The Moore County Sheriff's Office received information that Maness was possibly in the area of Vidor, Texas early Tuesday and worked with the U.S. Marshal's Service to make the arrest.

Three weeks ago, Ruthie Morgan and her truck were reported missing. The next day, authorities found Morgan dead at her farm. They later recovered Morgan's truck in Georgetown, S.C.

Investigators named the 49-year-old Maness as a suspect. He was reported missing around the same time Morgan went missing. Friends say he lived near her and helped her with her chores.

Maness also has warrants out for him for communicating a threat, injury to personal property and for resisting public law enforcement.