Police confirmed Thursday that they have arrested a person of interest in the case of a missing Noblesville woman. The announcement came during a search for 74-year-old Dorothy Heard near a park in Hamilton County.
Police said they arrested 47-year-old Donald Burns of Elwood Tuesday evening. They said they attempted to approach Burns when he gave chase. He was arrested on a charge of resisting law enforcement.
According to police, Burns is a convicted sex offender known to fish at Overdorf Lake Fish Camp Park.
Hamilton County authorities spent Thursday searching an area near the camp at 266th and Mt. Pleasant Road for the missing great-grandmother. They said they received a tip directing them to the area near the park.
Heard is the great-grandmother of a 10-year-old Tipton girl who was abducted Tuesday night. The girl was found safe several hours later in Westfield.
Police are still looking for the suspected abductor. Captain Tocco said the girl described the man as tall, thin, with short brown hair, about 40-years-old, wearing a gray t-shirt and shorts, and Nike shoes.
Police said they believe the suspect was driving a newer model, four-door, silver car. Burns was driving a silver Mitsubishi when he was arrested. Police have said they do not believe the two cases are related, though.
According to Tipton Captain Gordon Tocco, the victim was abducted around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and held until around 11:00 p.m. that same night. He said Burns was arrested at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday.
According to the Madiscon County Sheriff, Burns is a sexually violent predator. He was convicted of child molesting in Madison County in June of 1997. He was convicted of child molesting in Tipton County in November 1999. He was sentenced to 20 concurrent years but was released in April 2006.
