KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — A violent fugitive wanted in Michigan on multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, has been captured in Knoxville following a coordinated law enforcement operation.
The U.S. Marshals Service Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force arrested Donnell Fonville III on the evening of September 24 after locating him near the 900 block of East Hill Avenue in Knoxville.
According to authorities, the task force received a request for assistance from the U.S. Marshals Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team on Sept. 18. Investigators were searching for Fonville, who was wanted on a nine-count felony indictment out of Washtenaw County, Michigan, including three counts of attempted murder.
Officials said the charges stem from an August 2026 shooting at a smoke and vape shop in Washtenaw County. Investigators allege Fonville opened fire inside the crowded business, leaving one victim paralyzed. He was also wanted in connection with an unrelated armed robbery in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Authorities said Fonville fled to Tennessee in an effort to avoid arrest. A fugitive investigation led by a Knox County Sheriff’s Office detective assigned to the Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force ultimately tracked him to Knoxville.
Task force members observed Fonville leaving an apartment and walking into an open parking area. As officers moved in to arrest him, officials said he fled on foot into a nearby wooded area.
Law enforcement quickly established a perimeter with assistance from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville Police Department, and the Knox County Air Watch Aviation Unit. A K-9 team and a Deputy U.S. Marshal entered the wooded area and located Fonville.
Authorities said Fonville initially failed to comply with commands, leading officers to deploy the K-9 unit. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Knox County Jail.
U.S. Marshal David G. Jolley praised the teamwork among federal, state and local agencies involved in the arrest.
“The investigation demonstrates the tremendous value of our area law enforcement partnerships,” Jolley said, adding that agencies worked together to safely locate and apprehend a dangerous fugitive.
Jolley also thanked the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Knoxville Police Department for their assistance and emphasized that violent offenders who come to East Tennessee will be aggressively pursued.
The investigation and arrest involved members of the Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force from the sheriff’s offices in Anderson, Blount, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon and Sevier counties.
