ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio — Two suspects wanted in connection with a North Carolina murder died from apparent gunshot wounds following a multi-county police pursuit through southeast Ohio on Thursday morning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP).
The incident began around 8:17 a.m. when an automated license plate reader (ALPR) flagged a black Mercedes-Benz traveling westbound on U.S. 50 in Athens County. The vehicle was registered to an owner linked to an ongoing homicide investigation in North Carolina.
OSHP troopers and Athens Police Department officers located the Mercedes shortly after the alert and attempted a traffic stop. The driver refused to pull over, initiating a chase that spanned two counties and lasted more than 20 minutes.
The pursuit came to an end in Jackson County on State Route 32, where troopers deployed tire deflation devices to disable the fleeing car. The suspect vehicle swerved to avoid the spikes, struck a road sign, and came to a stop near Hiram West Road.
Immediately after the crash, law enforcement officers on the scene heard two gunshots from inside the vehicle.
Inside, troopers discovered the bodies of Carmyn Moore, 26, and Corey Armstrong, 29. Both were pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds.
Authorities confirmed that no law enforcement officers fired their weapons during the incident, and no officers or bystanders were injured.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is leading the ongoing investigation. Multiple agencies assisted during the pursuit and scene management, including the Athens Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Police Department, Wellston Police Department, and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
