Danell Maxwell was captured in Cordova after more than two months on the run.
MEMPHIS, TN — A months-long manhunt for Danell Maxwell, the man accused of shooting a Memphis police officer during a February traffic stop, ended Thursday morning when officers arrested him at an apartment complex in Cordova.
Maxwell, 40, had been wanted since Feb. 26, when Memphis Police Officer Oscar Torres-Molina was shot during a stop on South Perkins Road near Aloha Avenue. The case drew a Blue Alert, a Tennessee Most Wanted listing and a search that stretched across several states. Authorities said Maxwell now faces attempted murder charges, while Tokeytha Owens, 38, was arrested with him and charged as an accessory after the fact.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Maxwell and Owens were taken into custody Thursday morning by members of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Shelby County Fugitive Unit. Officials said both were found at an apartment complex in Cordova, a Memphis suburb where officers had focused part of the search. Memphis police and federal authorities later described the arrest as the result of steady work by local, state and federal teams. “We got our man,” one law enforcement official said after the capture, marking the end of a search that had lasted more than 10 weeks.
The shooting began with what police described as a routine traffic stop on Feb. 26. Torres-Molina stopped Maxwell on South Perkins Road near Aloha Avenue before the encounter turned violent. Police said Maxwell shot the officer in the jaw or face and fled. Torres-Molina was taken to a hospital and admitted in critical condition at 8:30 p.m. That same night, officers found a white Nissan Maxima wrecked and abandoned in the 4600 block of Wooddale. Memphis police, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Memphis Safe Streets Task Force searched the area using drones, aviation support, uniformed patrol officers and K-9 teams.
The search expanded quickly after the shooting. At 12:02 a.m. Feb. 27, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Blue Alert for Maxwell, saying he was wanted for attempted first-degree murder of a police officer. A warrant was issued about 26 minutes later charging Maxwell with attempted first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. Later that morning, officers stopped a gray Chevrolet Malibu at South Third Street and Horn Lake Road after receiving information tied to Maxwell. Police said the driver, described as an acquaintance, was detained after giving information that Maxwell may have been in West Memphis, Arkansas.
By 9:01 a.m. Feb. 27, Maxwell had been added to Tennessee’s Most Wanted list. Investigators said he had ties to Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia and Iowa, widening the search beyond Memphis. As the manhunt entered its third week in March, John Covington, vice president of the Memphis Police Association, said officers were still following tips and working long shifts. “This is not somebody who is an international criminal mastermind,” Covington said at the time. He said Maxwell was likely moving from place to place but could face pressure from money, shelter and the pace of the search.
Torres-Molina’s condition became a central part of the case as the search continued. Police said he was released from the hospital March 1 after several days of treatment. Covington, who said he visited the officer during recovery, described him as upbeat and improving. He said Torres-Molina was talking again and aware of the support coming from other officers and the public. Officials did not release full medical details, and it was not clear Thursday what further treatment the officer may need. Police also have not released a complete account of what happened during the traffic stop before the shot was fired.
Owens’ arrest adds another part to the case. Authorities said she was charged with accessory after the fact, a charge used when prosecutors allege someone helped a suspect after a crime had already occurred. Officials did not immediately release details of what Owens is accused of doing or how long investigators believe she had been with Maxwell. Jail and court records were expected to show initial booking details, bond information and future court dates. Maxwell’s attempted murder case is expected to move next through Shelby County criminal court, where prosecutors will outline the charges and any added counts.
The arrest also closed one of the higher-profile fugitive searches in Tennessee this year. The reward for information leading to Maxwell’s arrest had grown from $2,500 to $32,500 while he remained at large. Police had warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. Multiple agencies took part in the search, including Memphis police, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Memphis Safe Streets Task Force, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and law enforcement in Arkansas. Officers checked locations linked to Maxwell throughout the first night and continued following tips for weeks.
Maxwell and Owens remained in custody Thursday as authorities prepared the next steps in the case. Officials had not announced a full court schedule by Thursday evening, and police said the investigation remains active.
Author note: Last updated May 7, 2026.