Farmer's instincts land murder suspect in custody

BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - A robbery, arson and murder suspect was caught in a patch of Boone County woods.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office got a call from a farmer Tuesday who said there was a man trespassing in his woods near County Road 600 South and County Road 650 West.

The farmer told dispatchers the man had parked his car in the woods and was asking for a jump start.

Deputies found 47-year-old Balagoon Sankofa (aka Harold Bishop of Indianapolis) standing in the middle of the road.

While checking the database, deputies recognized Sankofa as an armed and dangerous suspect on the loose.

Deputies immediately placed him under arrest.

While talking with deputies, Sankofa said he “had warrants out of Indy for shootings.”

Deputies say he also said, “Go ahead and handcuff me, you got me.”

Sankofa was found with a rented car, where deputies found a rifle, ammo, machete, clothes and water.

When asked what he was doing out in the woods, Sankofa told deputies he was “looking for a place to hide out.”

Indianapolis Municipal Police Department detectives took Sankofa back to Marion County, where he’s a suspect in a robbery, arson and two separate shootings where one person died.

“As a result of good thinking by a Boone County farmer (Mike Hysong), a dangerous fugitive was taken into custody today by our deputies,” Boone County Sheriff Ken Campbell said. “We credit Mr. Hysong for trusting his instincts that something was not right after interacting with Mr. Sankofa and calling the sheriff.”

Sheriff Campbell also said the county needs to make this arrest an opportunity to learn.

“If you have someone or something suspicious, call law enforcement,” Campell said. “Boone County continues to be a great place to live, raise a family and work, but bad things happen and bad people do come here from time to time. While Mr. Hysong was safe, the outcome could have been different.”