Local detective assists in Detroit murder case
A Limerick police detective stops a vehicle wanted in connection with a triple homicide in Detroit.
LIMERICK >> There’s a lot to be said for intuition, especially when it comes to police work.
No one knows that better than Limerick Detective Steve Winneberger.
According to Limerick Police, the detective had been on patrol on Feb. 8 when he noticed an unusual amount of damage on an out-of-state vehicle in front of him. Winneberger then ran the registration to discover the vehicle was wanted out of Detroit in connection with a triple homicide that had occurred days earlier.
After realizing the connection, he called for more patrol vehicles and initiated a felony traffic stop. The stop led to the arrest of the vehicle’s only occupant, a female driver, who was detained on a warrant and later charged by the Detroit Police Department for offenses related to the three murders.
“I’m very proud of the diligent work that he did,” Limerick Police Chief Brian Skelton said of Winneberger. “He’s the kind of cop that comes in every day working very hard for the residents of Limerick. I’ve received a lot of praise from Detroit Police on how he helped clear up their three murders.”
A Facebook post by Limerick Police said that in addition to the female suspect’s arrest, the investigation that followed revealed the whereabouts of a second suspect in the murders who had been staying in New Jersey. According to reports from CBS local in Detroit, the suspect, 38-year-old Russell Govett, had been staying with acquaintances in Cape May when he was identified by a detective in the area.
Govett was apprehended with the help of multiple local and federal agencies and has been charged with the three murders. He is being held at Cape May County Correctional Center in lieu of $1 million bail before being extradited to Michigan, according to CBS.
The investigation in the Limerick area was aided by Detroit City Police Detectives and overseen by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau.
“He did a great job,” said Skelton. “The cooperation between all the agencies led to a quick resolution of the case. This is a great example of how diligent police work pays off.”