Georgia · Fulton County · Crime & Courts
Kenneth Spruill Arrested in Hapeville, GA: Tennessee Attempted Murder Suspect Captured in Fulton County
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said task force officers took Spruill into custody without incident in Hapeville. He is wanted in Tennessee on charges including attempted first-degree murder, and is charged rather than convicted.
Key facts
- What
- A man wanted out of Tennessee was arrested in Hapeville and taken into custody without incident
- Who
- Kenneth Spruill, described by authorities as one of three people wanted over a violent incident in Tennessee
- Announced
- By the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026
- Where
- The City of Hapeville, Fulton County, Ga. No street or address was released
- Who made the arrest
- Task force officers with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Roswell Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, FOX 5 Atlanta reported
- Tennessee charges
- Attempted first-degree murder, especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated robbery and theft of property
- Fulton County warrant
- Probation violation tied to a possession of a firearm by a felon charge, FOX 5 Atlanta reported
- How it started
- The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation alerted Roswell police and asked for help finding him
- Underlying incident
- Tennessee officials tied the charges to a 2023 home invasion and attempted murder, Atlanta News First reported. FOX 5 Atlanta reported the timing and exact location were unclear
- Legal status
- Wanted and charged, not convicted. Spruill is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court
What happened in Hapeville, Fulton County?
A man sought by authorities in Tennessee has been picked up in Hapeville, a city inside Fulton County, Georgia. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office identified him as Kenneth Spruill and said he was wanted on an attempted first-degree murder charge out of Tennessee.
Task force officers found Spruill in Hapeville and arrested him there, FOX 5 Atlanta reported, and the arrest was made without incident — no struggle, no injuries and no use of force were described by the sheriff’s office. The outlet also carried a photograph of Spruill taken after the arrest, credited to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Atlanta News First, reporting with its sister station WSMV in Nashville, gave the same location and said deputies disclosed the arrest on Tuesday. Both outlets attribute the account to the sheriff’s office; FOX 5 Atlanta stated plainly that everything in its report came from that agency.
Who is Kenneth Spruill, and what is he wanted for?
Authorities describe Spruill as one of three people wanted over a violent incident in Tennessee, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. He is accused, not convicted, and nothing released so far resolves the charges against him.
The Tennessee charges against him take in attempted first-degree murder, especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated robbery and theft of property, both outlets reported. Atlanta News First reported that deputies listed those counts along with other charges, and that Spruill had been placed on Tennessee’s most wanted list in July.
He was wanted in Georgia as well. FOX 5 Atlanta reported a Fulton County warrant for violating probation on a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon. Atlanta News First described that local warrant as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
| Jurisdiction | What he is wanted on | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | Attempted first-degree murder | Charged, not convicted |
| Tennessee | Especially aggravated burglary | Charged, not convicted |
| Tennessee | Especially aggravated robbery | Charged, not convicted |
| Tennessee | Theft of property | Charged, not convicted |
| Fulton County, Ga. | Probation violation on a possession of a firearm by a felon charge | Warrant, as reported |
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Which agencies took part in the arrest?
The search for Spruill in Georgia began with a request from Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reached out to the Roswell Police Department asking for help in finding him and taking him into custody, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
From there the work was shared. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and its partner agencies traced him to the City of Hapeville, where he was arrested, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The officers who made the arrest were assigned to a task force drawing on the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Roswell Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.
What is known about the Tennessee case?
Not a great deal has been released, and the two outlets differ in how much they could pin down. Atlanta News First reported that Tennessee officials attached the charges to a brutal home invasion and attempted murder in 2023. FOX 5 Atlanta, working from the sheriff’s office account alone, reported that it was unclear when the violent incident took place or precisely where.
The 2023 date, then, rests on Atlanta News First and the Tennessee officials it cited, not on the Fulton County announcement.
Two other people are wanted in connection with the same case, but the sheriff’s office has not put out any information about them, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. No names, ages or whereabouts for those two have been made public.
Why is this news on Tuesday?
Heads up on the timeline here, because two different dates are in play. The incident Tennessee is prosecuting is from 2023. What is new on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026 is the capture and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office announcing it. The 2023 case is background, not a fresh event.
On sourcing: this report draws on two outlets owned by two separate parent companies — FOX 5 Atlanta, part of Fox Television Stations, and Atlanta News First, part of Gray Television. Atlanta News First credited its coverage to itself and WSMV, but WSMV is Gray’s Nashville station, so that credit reflects one parent company rather than two.
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What we don’t know yet
- The exact day and time of the arrest. The sheriff’s office announced it Tuesday, and neither outlet reported when officers actually made the stop
- Where in Hapeville Spruill was located. No street, block or address was released
- When the Tennessee incident happened and exactly where. FOX 5 Atlanta reported both were unclear; Atlanta News First placed the underlying case in 2023
- Who the two other people wanted in connection with the case are, and whether either has been located
- Which Tennessee agency or county is prosecuting, and what happens next in that case
- How the Fulton County probation matter and the Tennessee charges will be sequenced
- Whether Spruill has an attorney or a scheduled court appearance. Neither outlet reported one
Frequently asked questions
Who is Kenneth Spruill?
A man wanted out of Tennessee. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said he was arrested in Hapeville, Georgia, and that he was one of three people wanted in connection with a violent incident in Tennessee. He is charged, not convicted.
Where in Georgia was Kenneth Spruill arrested?
In the City of Hapeville, in Fulton County, Georgia. FOX 5 Atlanta and Atlanta News First both placed the arrest in Hapeville, citing the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
When was the arrest announced?
Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. Both outlets reported that day that the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office had disclosed the arrest.
What charges is Kenneth Spruill wanted on in Tennessee?
Attempted first-degree murder, especially aggravated burglary, especially aggravated robbery and theft of property, according to FOX 5 Atlanta and Atlanta News First. Atlanta News First reported that other charges were included as well. These are accusations, and he has not been convicted.
Was he also wanted in Fulton County?
Yes. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Fulton County also had a warrant out on him, over a probation violation stemming from a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon. Atlanta News First described the local warrant as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Which agencies made the arrest?
Task force officers with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Roswell Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
How did Georgia agencies become involved?
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation first contacted the Roswell Police Department and asked for help finding and apprehending Spruill, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
Was anyone hurt during the arrest in Hapeville?
No injuries were reported. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Spruill was taken into custody without incident.
When did the Tennessee incident happen?
Atlanta News First reported that Tennessee officials tied the charges to a brutal home invasion and attempted murder in 2023. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that the timing of the violent incident and its exact location were not clear.
Was Kenneth Spruill on a most wanted list?
Atlanta News First reported that he was added to Tennessee’s most wanted list in July.
Have the two other people wanted in the case been named?
No. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that the sheriff’s office has not put out information on the other two individuals wanted in connection with the case.
Has Kenneth Spruill been convicted of anything in this case?
No. He is wanted and charged, not convicted. Anyone named in connection with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Related coverage
More Georgia public-safety reports from Fulton County. Earlier this year, a man who escaped the Fulton County Jail was captured in Atlanta. Also in the county, Eric Gordon of Decatur was indicted on a trafficking charge.
Sources
- FOX 5 Atlanta — Aug. 18, 2026
- Atlanta News First — Aug. 18, 2026
Reported and fact-checked as of .
Every source linked here was opened and verified at that time. This report reflects what was known and confirmed at that moment and is not updated automatically as a story develops. For the current status of an active investigation, contact the agency named above.
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