A man who allegedly tried to fake his own death to avoid child rape charges has been arrested in Georgia. Melvin Phillip Emde, 41, was apprehended by a Georgia State Patrol officer who attempted to stop him while he was riding a motorcycle without a license plate. Emde attempted to flee but crashed and was eventually arrested on foot.
Initially reported missing in Louisiana in early August, Emde had been the subject of a search operation involving officers, a cadaver dog, and a drone. It was later discovered that Emde was wanted on charges of indecent liberties with a child and statutory rape in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
The suspicions of law enforcement were aroused when Emde’s son reported him missing, claiming that Emde had drowned during a kayak trip on the Mississippi River. Investigators suspected that the drowning and subsequent disappearance were staged to evade the pending charges in North Carolina.
Emde was found to have been wearing an ankle monitor as a condition of his bail and had purchased prepaid phones on the day of the reported drowning. Law enforcement agencies collaborated to track the phones, ultimately leading to Emde’s arrest in Georgia.
As of now, Emde is being held in the Dougherty County Jail in Albany, Georgia. He is expected to be extradited to North Carolina to face the child rape charges. The investigation into Emde’s alleged attempt to fake his own death is ongoing, with no charges currently filed.
Definitions:
- Child rape: The act of engaging in sexual intercourse or any sexual activity with a minor who is below the age of consent.
- Indecent liberties with a child: The act of engaging in inappropriate or sexual conduct with a child.
- Statutory rape: Sexual intercourse or any sexual activity with a person who is underage, even if it is consensual.
Sources: St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, CNN
