The Wetumpka Police Department helped a Florida law enforcement agency take a murder suspect into custody.
WPD’s involvement started Saturday, Jan. 25 morning with a phone call from the Santa Rosa County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office that murder suspect Tequila Phillips was possibly in the area.
“They pinged her phone,” Wetumpka police chief Ed Reeves said. “We went to the Motel 231 and found her there.”
Officers booked Phillips, 48, of Milton, Florida, into the Elmore County Jail. Santa Rosa County deputy sheriffs arrived Wednesday to extradite Phillips back to Florida.
The case started Friday, Jan. 24 when Santa Rosa deputies went to the home of Allen Phillips to conduct a welfare check after a family member expressed concern about Allen Phillips’ safety after not hearing from him for several days.
“Deputies forced entry into the residence and discovered Allen Phillips deceased inside,” a release from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office stated. “He was found in the later stages of decomposition with evidence of a fatal gunshot to the chest. Evidence at the scene included a firearm and shell casing.”
Deputies said Phillips' wife, Tequila Phillips. was developed as a suspect.
It is unknown why Phillips fled to Wetumpka.
WPD’s only involvement was the arrest.
The death remains under investigation by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office.
