Suicide ends manhunt

JACKSONVILLE -- A suspect in a Wilmington slaying killed himself as officers approached him in Onslow County.

Anthony Antwand Bowen, 30, had been on the run since Wednesday morning. Authorities say he ambushed 27-year-old Tarica Ann Pulliam in front of her apartment as she left for work. Pulliam was found shot multiple times and died about 10 a.m. at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Pulliam was an employee of the New Hanover Sheriff's Department.

Bowen's silver Ford Taurus was found Thursday near the Pender-Onslow County line Thursday.

A woman called authorities and said Bowen was attempting to hide out with her in the southwest area of Onslow County. Bowen reportedly asked the woman whether she had heard about what had happened in Wilmington and was apparently not sure Pulliam had died until the woman told him.

New Hanover Sheriff Sid Causey and more than 70 of his deputies joined about 20 deputies from Onslow County to set up a perimeter around the area and begin to work inward toward Blue Creek Road, the place where Bowen was said to be hiding.

Bowen had been quoted as saying he would not return to jail and authorities considered him armed and dangerous, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said.

A resident of southwest Onslow, Cindy McKnight, said she watched more than a dozen deputies ready their rifles, put on bullet-resistant vests and enter the woods near Brinsons' Mini Mart at 2060 Blue Creek Road. She said she heard a gunshot a short time later and went back into the store.

Bowen was hiding in a hole in woods about 50 feet behind a group of mobile homes off Blue Creek Road, authorities said. He had food wrappers, a towel, a bag and Gatorade bottles with him.

At 4:35 p.m., two deputies searching the woods started walking toward Bowen and told him to surrender. Bowen said, "I'm over here," and fatally shot himself in the head, Causey said.

He used same the handgun used to kill Pulliam, Causey said at a news conference Thursday night.

Public records show that Bowen and Pulliam lived in the same apartment until April.

Pulliam filed for a protective order April 1, saying Bowen had choked her until she almost passed out. The order also says Bowen punched her in the face.

Bowen told her he was going to "finish what he started" and went for his gun, but Pulliam's mother interrupted him by knocking on the front door, according an affidavit attached to the order.

Bowen was charged with assault on a female, second-degree kidnapping and assault by strangulation. He was also charged with first-degree kidnapping in a separate case involving a different woman.

Pulliam had worked for the sheriff's office for two years.

Fifteen minutes before she was scheduled to be at work Wednesday morning, Pulliam left her apartment in Briarcliff Villas in the northern part of New Hanover County dressed in her uniform. She was shot as she walked to her car about 5:15 a.m. She was not armed, authorities said.

She leaves behind a 7-year-old daughter.

"The entire thing is a tragedy for all families involved," Causey said. "Officer Pulliam was a valued member of this organization. I'm sure the suspect's family is suffering also."

Wilmington Star-News staff writer Veronica Gonzalez contributed to this report. Lindell Kay can be reached at 910-554-8534.

.