Suspect in Memphis officer's death says he's no coward

Tremaine Wilbourn.
Tremaine Wilbourn.

MEMPHIS — The man accused of killing a Memphis police officer had a few words for the department's director when he turned himself in, ending a manhunt that lasted two days.

"I want you to know that one, I'm not a cold-blooded killer," Tremaine Wilbourn told the director, who said he spoke briefly with the suspect. "And two, I am not a coward."

Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong had used that word to describe Wilbourn, accused of killing Officer Sean Bolton when he interrupted a drug deal Saturday night. He evaded police for two days, despite a warrant for his arrest on a charge of first-degree murder and a growing reward for his capture.

Wilbourn turned himself in to federal marshals just after 4:50 p.m. Monday. His family and his lawyer accompanied him there, officials said.

"I think he felt the walls closing in," Armstrong said.

Shelby County court records posted online show Wilbourn has been officially charged in the shooting and was being held in lieu of $9 million bond. Wilbourn has a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday.

Wilbourn was a passenger in a 2002 Mercedes Benz that was parked illegally in a southeast Memphis neighborhood Saturday night, police said. Bolton approached the car and Wilbourn got out, confronted Bolton, and they got into a physical struggle, police said. Wilbourn took out a gun and fired, striking Bolton multiple times. The officer died at a hospital.

Wilbourn and the driver of the Mercedes ran away, and a neighbor used Bolton's radio to notify police about the shooting.

The driver later turned himself in to police, and was released without charges.

Armstrong said Bolton had interrupted a drug deal, and officers found about 1.7 grams of marijuana in the car.

Wilbourn was on probation for an armed bank robbery. Wilbourn's lawyer argued during sentencing that he was persuaded by his uncle to join the robbery to help him with his finances and "he was awaiting news regarding a possible college scholarship based on his athletic ability."

Wilbourn was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison and released on probation in July 2014. He used marijuana in December and was ordered to undergo mental health treatment July 7, according to federal court documents released Monday. It's not clear whether he was ever evaluated.

"All the signs were there, that clearly demonstrated he was a violent individual," Armstrong said at Monday's news conference.

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