THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 20, 1996 TAG: 9604200336
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE AND KAREN JOLLY DAVIS, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: WATTSVILLE LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
After hiding out under an assumed name for three weeks in this quiet Eastern Shore community, a murder suspect from Pennsylvania was arrested Friday after someone tipped off police.
Curran K. Underwood, 22, of Philadelphia was arrested without incident and was being held without bail in the Accomack County jail, pending an extradition hearing.
Police believe he is the man who, when his car was hit from behind by another motorist in a minor accident, chased down, shot and killed the driver of the second car.
The crime occurred Feb. 27 in Norristown, Pa., a city in Montgomery County west of Philadelphia.
Police said a man they think was Underwood was driving through the downtown business district when his car was hit in the rear by another car driven by Herman Mumiz, 28, of Norristown.
Witnesses told police that the driver of the car that had been hit got out of his car to check the damage, opened the trunk and retrieved a gun. He then opened fire on Mumiz, who was still in his vehicle.
Mumiz tried to escape by driving off, but he had to stop for traffic, and the gunman caught up to him and shot him dead.
Police said Underwood was seen in Norristown shortly after the shooting, but disappeared before police could catch up with him.
Underwood showed up in Wattsville and, using an alias, persuaded a local family to let him stay in their home, police said.
Accomack County Sheriff Robert Crockett said Norristown and Montgomery County detectives contacted him Thursday after they received a Crime Stoppers tip revealing Underwood's whereabouts. Accomack deputies located Underwood and, with detectives from Pennsylvania, arrested him.
KEYWORDS: MURDER ARREST SHOOTING by CNB