Jan. 18-According to news reported by the Mt. Airy News, this morning, Patrick Sheriff Dan Smith says, murder suspect, Fernando Quiroz Perivan, age 30 has fled from residence in Ararat, VA

Source: Mt. Airy, News, January 18, 2012, page 1 Patrick sheriff believes Rockford murder suspect has fled by Tom Joyce Staff Reporter Mount Airy News STUART, Va. — Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith believes a Claudville man wanted for a murder in Surry County has fled the area. “I want citizens to feel at ease,� Smith said Tuesday in addressing concerns that Fernando Quiroz Perivan, 30, of 151 Short Ridge Lane, could still be hiding in the county somewhere. Perivan is accused, along with a Mount Airy resident, Candido Hermenegildo Castaneda, 35, of 578 George Chandler Road, of shooting another man to death near the Yadkin River bridge in the southern Surry village of Rockford. Warrants on murder and other charges have been issued against the pair, but they remain at large. That’s despite an exhaustive search for Perivan in Patrick County after authorities in North Carolina learned through a tip that the Claudville man allegedly was involved and might be at his home. “Three residences were thoroughly searched by our Tactical Team and Perivan was not found at any of the three,� said Sheriff Smith. He addressed possible fears of citizens in the Claudville-Ararat area that the accused murderer could yet be in their midst. “We do not believe that he is in our jurisdiction,� Smith emphasized Tuesday. He does not want citizens in Patrick — where murders rarely occur — “to feel like they are in any danger.� The Patrick County Sheriff’s Office got involved with the case after surveillance video showing the then-unidentified murder suspects’ faces was aired on 11 p.m. news programs in North Carolina. Someone watching a broadcast called in a tip to authorities in Surry regarding at least one of the men’s identities, that of Perivan. About 1 a.m. Saturday, Patrick officers were alerted by law enforcement personnel in North Carolina who believed Perivan was in the Virginia county. Smith said at that point, one of his deputies who lives about two miles away from Perivan’s residence was instructed to go to that site and monitor it “to make sure no one went in and out.� He explained that two homes were targeted in all, Perivan’s and another at the same location occupied by relatives of the suspect, which are in the Unity Church Road area just across the state line. “Once we got the information, we immediately set up of surveillance of the houses.� Other steps taken in Patrick included the securing of search warrants for those locations, based on information received from the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, and the assembling of the Tactical Team. About 12 members of his department became involved in the operation, Smith said, along with a local member of the Virginia State Police equipped with a dog. The seeking of the murder suspect was complicated by the presence of a large number of children and other people at the homes, the Patrick sheriff said, estimating it at “15 at a minimum.� A family member made contact with those inside at one point to ensure all the women and children got out before the searches were executed about 9:15 a.m., he added. “Their safety was of great concern to us.� “It’s tough enough when you’re searching for an armed suspect,� added Smith, who pointed out that the presence of innocent parties “compounds the problem.� He continued, “anytime a neighboring jurisdiction calls and gives you information that a murder suspect might be at a particular location in our county, then you have to take every precaution. And you have to address that situation with adequate manpower and planning to ensure the safety of officers and citizens.� Earlier, about 7 a.m., a vehicle registered to the suspect which contained several people was spotted on Homeplace Road and trailed to a residence on Pedigo Ridge Road that subsequently was searched by the Tactical Team after the vehicle was stopped. “A number of family members of Perivan’s were found in that house,� but not him, the sheriff said. A black Chevrolet Suburban owned by Perivan was located there, “basically hidden behind that residence parked out of sight.� The homes searched included not only that of the suspect, but his parents’ residence. The one on Pedigo Ridge Road is located about one mile from the other two. The officers cleared the various scenes about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Smith said that even though no arrest was made, he believed the law enforcement units who were part of the investigative operation in Patrick worked together well. He also mentioned the involvement of a State Bureau of Investigation agent from North Carolina who assisted. “It was a very tense situation.� Surry Sheriff Graham Atkinson praised the assistance from the Patrick County Sheriff’s Office in smoothly integrating its efforts last Saturday with those of North Carolina agencies. “I think in the nearly 26 years I have been in law enforcement, I have never seen that level of cooperation,� Atkinson said Tuesday of the searches and other evidence-gathering efforts involved. “Especially when working with an out-of-state agency.� Atkinson added of Smith and other key personnel in Patrick, “They run one of the best sheriff’s offices I’ve worked with in a long time. They are real high-quality people.� Although Perivan is believed to no longer be in Patrick County, Smith is urging anyone who might know of his whereabouts there to contact either him or Sgt. Eric O’Connell at 276-694-3161. Source: Mt. Airy News, Mt. Airy, NC