OGLETHORPE COUNTY, Ga. -- A North Carolina man wanted on child pornography charges has been arrested in Texas and is now accused of killing a Georgia man in a case that spans multiple states, authorities said.
The Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Arkansas State Police, and Denton, Texas, Police Department, said the arrest of Michael Thomas Dusch, 29, marks the conclusion of a multi-state investigation.
Dusch, from West End, Moore County, North Carolina, is charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, exploitation of an elderly person, false imprisonment, concealing the death of another, financial transaction card theft, and identity fraud. Officials said more charges could follow.
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Authorities said Dusch was stopped in Denton, Texas, for a traffic violation while driving a stolen car. During the stop, Texas officers discovered he was a wanted fugitive out of North Carolina for child pornography and identity theft charges. A search of the vehicle led officers to contact Georgia law enforcement, where investigators linked him to the murder of David J. Stewart, 69, in Oglethorpe County.
Stewart was found dead in a brushy area near the Clarke County line on Feb. 27. Due to the condition of his remains, he had to be identified through medical and dental records. Investigators later determined Stewart had been murdered, and his death concealed.
Dusch is also being investigated in Arkansas in connection to another case that has not yet been publicly stated by authorities.
He's awaiting extradition to Georgia, where he will face multiple charges related to Stewart's death. Authorities have not released further details on how Dusch and Stewart may have been connected.
Investigators ask anyone with information about Stewart, including neighbors, delivery drivers, or friends who may have seen anything suspicious, to contact Detective Adam Hunter at 706-743-8101 ext. 1714 or email [email protected].